


Canon Divergence

by aquietdin



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Game Spoilers, M/M, New Game +, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Time Travel, exploring the differences between P4 and P4G
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2018-09-21 12:38:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 62,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9549326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquietdin/pseuds/aquietdin
Summary: After losing everything, Yu is given a chance to go back and try again, but Inaba isn't quite what he remembers.[After receiving the Bad End, Yu goes back in time. Massive spoilers for several of P4's endings!]





	1. Reset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I've been wanting to write this for a very long time now. I played the original release of P4 and then immediately played P4G and wanted to do a new game+ fic that highlighted the differences between the two games. I'm sort of flying by the seat of my pants and posting as I write. Thanks for reading!

_clunk-clunk. clunk-clunk. clunk-clunk._

Resting his head against his knuckles, Yu let his eyes drift close. The rhythmic sound of the train was lulling his mind into white noise, and he didn't fight it. He glanced up one last time as the pitch of the train wheels changed to signal crossing the wider end of the misty Samegawa. He was facing the direction he'd come from, watching Inaba fade into the distance, enveloped in eerie yellow fog.

He'd failed.

On so many fronts had he failed. The killer outwitted him, his friends drifted apart. His uncle was a shadow of a man. And Nanako, the light of his life, was now in an urn, her ashes tucked safely in a family mausoleum. The memory of a heart monitor flat lining haunted him still. Inaba was now seemingly encased in the fog, perhaps forever, its citizens helpless to resist its foul effects.

He'd boarded the train home to the city that morning, seen off by an awkward gathering of his friends, each forcing a smile as he left them behind. Dojima had simply dropped him off, not staying to say goodbye. Yosuke barely made eye contact. Their farewells were sad and tired, the former investigation team too weary. Teddie was long gone, having disappeared shortly after Nanako faded away. The Velvet Room, along with Igor and Margaret, vanished like a puff of smoke, the glowing blue door blinking out of existence that day in December. He could feel the echo of their broken social links even now, the absence of their love and friendship leaving a gaping hole in his chest.

 _I'm sorry, Izanagi,_ he whispered to his other self.

Sighing, Yu closed his eyes again. He was so tired. He couldn't remember a time when he wasn't tired, an exhaustion settling over him in early winter that never let go. The train was picking up speed as he left Inaba behind, taking him far away from what had been both the happiest and most miserable time of his life. What little light coming through his eyelids cut out as his train car entered a tunnel.

A sharp ring sounded from somewhere, and then a stab of pain in his head, as if his skull was splitting open. Yu opened his eyes and was overcome with nausea as he felt his seat crumbling, sending him careening downward into inky blackness, the train and the world around it above him and getting smaller and smaller as he fell. He thought he was screaming, but everything was becoming muted and dull. Izanagi roared within him.

_You are not finished._

It had been so long since he'd heard his Persona's voice - not just waves of emotion, as he would usually communicate - that Yu was struck by the sound. The last time he'd heard his voice was at Izanagi's genesis outside the twisted liquor store, when he had first borne himself into Yu's soul.

Wind was whipping by his ears, through his hair and clothes. Yu was still falling through the darkness, an odd feeling of vertigo rippling through him. Then a light appeared below his feet, growing larger as he hurdled towards it.

_There is much left undone._

His body jerked, and Yu found himself in his train seat once more. He glanced around at the few passengers that littered the car; none of them so much as glanced his way. The train was illuminated by the lights, in a tunnel or underground with only darkness beyond the windows. Rubbing an eye, he pondered the strange, intense dream he'd had, and took his phone from his pocket to check the time.

The clock on his screen read 15:37.

Yu blinked several times. If that were true, then he had missed the stop for his connecting train. With a groan, he opened his phone to send a text to his mother.

"Next stop, Yasoinaba." the intercom rattled through the car. "Next stop, Yasoinaba."

His head whipped up towards the speaker. That wasn't possible, he just came from Inaba. Yu checked his phone again, and saw a new text message in his inbox. Opening it, he saw it was from his uncle.

_Meet us outside Yasoinaba Station at 4pm._

It was the very first text he'd received from Dojima, when he'd first arrived - and other than that, his message box was completely empty. But why was it marked as new? Checking the date on the screen, a chill rippled through Yu as it clearly read April 11, 2011.

Yu rubbed his eyes again, feeling his contacts shift. Was he still dreaming? The train car emerged from a tunnel and sunlight flooded in, blinding him for a moment.

The Samegawa greeted him, sparkling in the afternoon sun, surrounded by green hills and flowering trees that disappeared into the distance. There was no fog or mist, only clear skies. Inaba was rolling into view over the hill, the quaint little town with its cottages, tall power lines, and clay tile roofs rising up to meet him.

 _I bestow upon you this gift,_ Izagani's voice sounded in his head. _Use it wisely._ Then Izanagi's voice faded from his mind, his presence becoming harder to find.

The train was beginning to slow as another announcement for Yasoinaba Station sounded. Yu felt numb despite his racing heart. A part of his brain told him that he was back in time, but the logical side of him quickly squashed that idea. Time travel wasn't possible.

 _Neither isn't a world inside a TV,_ he thought a little bitterly.

Either way, the train was going to stop, and he had a choice: either get off and see what happened, or stay on. From what he could see from the dusty train window, Inaba looked whole again, a sight he hadn't seen in months. It was hard to resist grabbing his bag and stepping off the car.

The air outside smelled wonderful, the moist air and petrichor of the old train station, the quiet of the countryside. It smelled like Inaba. Yu stopped at a bench before exiting to check his duffel bag. Sure enough, it seemed identical to how he'd meticulously packed it the first time around, with his phone charger and night clothes on top. He zipped up the bag and took a steadying breath. Might as well play this out, even if it was just a fever dream.

He spotted his uncle immediately upon exiting the station. The first time, he only had a single photo to identify Dojima from, but now he could have spotted his ragged hair and stiff posture a mile away. He was smoking a cigarette when Yu made eye contact.

"Over here!"

To be introduced a second time to someone he was already close to was a bit unsettling. But his uncle was in front of him, and instead of the gaunt, pale man he'd been living with for the last few months, _this_ Dojima seemed healthy and full of life. He also didn't seem to know Yu at all, extending his right hand in greeting.

"I remember you," Yu said as he gripped his uncle's fingers.

"Do you?" Dojima laughed. "That's some memory you have. I haven't seen you since you were a baby! Nanako?" He glanced behind him at a tiny figure huddling behind his legs. "Come on now. Introduce yourself to your cousin."

Stepping out from behind her father, Nanako frowned up at Yu and muttered a shy hello. Yu took a breath as his heart clenched in his chest. Nanako was here. She was alive and well, clinging to the pocket of her father's slacks as she tried to hide. It took every ounce of Yu's willpower to keep from dropping his bag and hugging her, wanting to feel her heartbeat just to make sure sure she was real. But this Nanako, like the Dojima before him, was a stranger.

"Hello," he told her, even as his eyes stung with tears. Dojima leveled him with his analytical gaze.

"You alright?"

He quickly rubbed an eye with his free hand and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "Yes," Yu answered. "Just tired."

"Well then," Dojima clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's get you home so you can rest."

Nodding, Yu let Dojima lead the way to his car, aware enough to know how odd it would be if he revealed that he could easily pick out the truck on his own. As he went towards the parking lot, a girl passed by him, and Yu heard a small chime somewhere in the back of his mind. He turned to look again and met her eyes, vivid blue that seemed somehow just a touch removed from reality.

"What?" She asked, crossing her arms over her stomach.

"Uh." Yu blushed, caught off guard. There was something off about this girl, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was before Dojima was calling for him. "Nothing," he told her, and turned back towards his uncle's car.

After he had his seat belt on, it hit him what was different: He'd never seen that girl before. He was sure he would remember a face like hers, strikingly beautiful and otherworldly; and if not, he would definitely have remembered her punk outfit. A get-up like that would attract more attention in a small town like Inaba than a neon sign. But Yu had no memory of her at all, though he thought he knew almost everyone here.

It was only a few minutes from the train station to the shopping district, but Yu was already feeling a little queasy. Everything was playing out almost exactly as he remembered, down to the very word as Dojima casually pointed out landmarks while he drove. Nanako was silent in the seat next to him, keeping her hands on her knees and gaze out the window.

They stopped for gas just like they had the first time, and Nanako left to use the bathroom. An attendant approached him and started talking about part time jobs. This he remembered, though it was hazy after a year. He never did go to work for Moel.

"Give it some thought, why don't you?"

The attendant held out his hand, and Yu stared at him. Why would a gas station attendant want to shake his hand? But the guy was just staring at him, arm outstretched. Not wanting to be rude or make a scene, Yu shook it. After the attendant walked away, another wave of nausea and vertigo hit him. He was pretty sure this happened last time, too. Didn't it? Nanako was asking him about it when Dojima came back from his smoke break.

"You should walk around and get some air if you're not feeling well," he told Yu. "Go on, take a minute to explore. We'll be here."

That was certainly new. The first time around, his uncle had shoved him back in the car and driven straight home. Tentatively, Yu walked away from Moel and into the southern end of the shopping district. A few people were milling about, housewives whose faces he recognized carrying bags of groceries, and children playing tag. The bookstore was already closed, looking like it was being restocked. Marukyu Tofu was open, though it was only Rise's grandmother tending the shop. She wouldn't arrive until June. The door to the Velvet Room was also missing, but Yu was pretty sure it didn't show up right away. Searching through his soul, Yu frowned as Izanagi remained shrouded, like he was made of mist that faded away whenever he reached out.

Near the entrance to Shiroku were the Konishi siblings, Naoki and Saki, looking like they were arguing. Yu did a double-take. He'd never seen them side by side, and it was incredible how much they resembled each other. Yu bit his lip. He was too late to save Saki the first time, but maybe he could do better now.

Turning back towards the car, he saw the same punk girl from the station again, hunched over by a lamppost. She looked up and scowled as he approached, her arms firmly crossed over her chest.

"Yeah? What do you want?"

He was a bit struck for words and took a moment to respond. "We, er, met at the train station just a minute ago."

She cocked her head to one side. "Did we...? Whatever." Then she turned her gaze to the street and ignored him.

Yu was torn between leaving her be and prying, but Dojima made the decision for him by calling his name. Which was probably for the best, what would he even say? _Hi, I'm a time traveler and you didn't exist in my previous reality, please explain?_ Yeah, no.

They finished the journey home, Dojima expertly backing his truck into the car port. There were no cats around just yet, but there was a curious white scooter in the front drive. Yu was fairly sure there was a plain bicycle last time, though it was rusted and probably broken.

The Dojima house was the same as ever, organized chaos throughout the kitchen, a fridge covered in take-away menus, a rice cooker that was probably as old as he was. It smelled the same, too, lingering food and cigarette smoke. Nanako went straight to the kitchen and pushed the button on the electric kettle while Dojima pointed up the stairs.

"Go on and take your bag up, then we'll eat."

His room was a whole new level of surreal. A few boxes of his things, and the furniture otherwise bare. His futon was neatly stacked in the corner and the smell of cleaners still lingered in the air. Yu set his bag on the couch and shrugged out of his jacket, going for the hangers he knew would be in the closet. Pulling the curtains closed, he hung his uniform on the curtain rack, taking a moment to try and remember why on earth he'd worn it for the entire journey to Inaba.

They ate dinner (with a bit of panic on Yu's part as he couldn't decided if he should ask which seat to take or just assume his old one), and Dojima was called away by work. What had called him out that first night...? Yu tried to tick of the events in his head, and felt a cold chill run down his spine. Mayumi Yamano. That's right, she was already in the TV by the time he'd arrived. And that meant he only had a few days to save Saki Konishi. He swallowed his food and tried to remain calm; he'd forgotten how fast it all fell apart.

Nanako frowned and picked at her food once her father left. Though his mind was racing, Yu did his best to make light conversation, suggesting they watch the quiz show instead of the news. This seemed to take her mind off her father's absence a bit, and they washed the dishes together, Nanako standing on her step stool to reach the sink.

Once he'd given himself a good scrub down, Yu settled into the bath to think, his knees poking out of the water. Tomorrow was the first day of second term (again). He would meet Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko. Or did they not have proper introductions until the next day? He could never forget pulling Yosuke out of the trash, but memories didn't exactly have time stamps, and he'd experienced almost an entire year after that. He would probably just have to play it by ear.

There was a rapid knock on the door that made Yu jump, sloshing water out of the tub. "Yes?"

The door opened and Nanako poked her head in shyly. "I forgot to tell you, you have to let the cold water run for a minute before you turn on the hot, or the pipes will rattle really loud."

"Oh." He'd already done just that, the action so automatic after a year of using this bath that he hadn't even realized it. "Thank you," he told Nanako. "I'll remember that."

Once he was dry and in his pajamas, Yu realized how exhausted he was, and trudged up the stairs to rest. He had just enough energy left to hang up a few of his white button-down shirts and plug in his phone before unfolding the futon and crawling into it to pass out.

\-----

He awoke in a world filled with fog. Or was he dreaming? Something felt off, some critical detail missing. Where was he?

The fog here was white, not yellow, but it hurt to breathe, a heavy weight on his chest unlike anything he'd felt in the TV world. A long hallway of red tile stretched out before him, and with nothing better to do, he walked along it.

_Do you seek the truth?_

The voice came from nowhere and everywhere, entirely unfamiliar. Yu whipped around to find the source, but saw nothing but fog in every direction.

_If it's truth you desire, come and find me..._

That voice definitely came from ahead of him. Yu went after it and came to a large red door. Had he been here before? It was tugging at a memory somewhere in his brain, but he couldn't quite grip the source. With a touch of his fingers, the door slid open.

The pressure of the air changed, and a weight was in his hands. A sword, its familiar grip making Yu instinctively snap into his battle stance. But without Teddie's glasses, he couldn't see, not really. Only a vague outline served as his target, but the need to fight was almost overwhelming, as if it was for his life.

He managed to land one attack, and then none of them would connect. The fog was thick enough to almost be solid, slowing his mind and body. Yu summoned Izanagi, relieved to feel his Persona respond, even if it was muted.

_Everyone sees only what they want to..._

He tried Izanagi again to no avail. Even the floor was shrouded from view, nearly swallowing Yu's feet as he tried again and again to attack. The world wobbled and he almost lost his balance.

_Will we meet again?_

His eyes slipped closed and he felt himself begin to fall.

_I look forward to it..._

\-----

With a violent jerk Yu awoke, breathing hard. His eyes adjusted to the ceiling and walls of his room, and the boxes that were still unopened. His duffel bag still on the couch, and his phone plugged into the charger that stretched pitifully from the single power strip by the door. He was still here, still in Inaba. It was a dream, then. Did he have that dream last time?

Three taps at his door followed by a muffled "breakfast's ready" finally made him sit up. Yu frowned at his pajamas. This was really happening. He might as well make the best of it.


	2. Day One of Many

After being awakened by Nanako, Yu had to reorient himself a bit. He checked his phone, and sure enough, his contact list was empty, save for his mother's and uncle's numbers. His photo albums were all empty, too, which made him frown. He'd mean to back those photos up, maybe even print a few. But they were just gone, all the pictures of Nanako and Yosuke and everyone else, as if they'd never been taken.

Yu put on his uniform and combed his hair, then went for the bathroom to brush his teeth and put in his contacts. He joined his cousin at the table, and a plate of eggs and buttered toast was put before him.

"Thank you," he said, breaking the yolk of his egg and dipping his toast. Nanako smiled.

"I like to do that too!" She demonstrated by dipping her own bread, and Yu smiled. There was a time when he was willing to give anything to live these moments again, and here he was.

"The eggs are good, Nanako," he told her, watching her beam at the compliment. "I like to cook too."

His cousin almost dropped her fork in surprise. "Really? Wow! Dad can't cook, so we always order food from restaurants."

He knew the limits of Dojima's cooking skills, of course, and that they didn't extend beyond instant coffee. Polishing off one of the eggs on his plate, Yu took a sip of his tea. "I can cook dinner tonight, if you want."

"Yeah!" Nanako clapped her hands. "Can we have beef? We haven't had it in a long time."

"Sure."

They finished breakfast and washed the dishes together, then gathered their bags and umbrellas for school. Yu did remember the drizzle on the first day of school, mostly because of how soaked his brand new loafers got. He'd been furious, but then, he was a different person on his first time through second year. He'd even spent the first few days with his uniform jacket diligently buttoned and his shirt tucked in, and it was only after they made trips into the TV world a regular thing that he became more lax about it. Now he walked with his jacket open from day one. No one said anything back then, so Yu doubted they'd say anything now.

He let Nanako lead him to the Samegawa floodplain, though he could have walked the route with his eyes closed. Then he bid her goodbye and kept walking, glancing at the other students. He recognized most of them; Yasogami was a small school with just over a hundred and fifty students. It wasn't hard to keep track.

A rhythmic squeaking caught his ear, and Yu's back stiffened. He knew that sound anywhere. And sure enough, moments later, a yellow bike came wobbling past, skidding in a puddle and crashing straight into a telephone pole. And landing on the pavement next to it was a face he couldn't forget if he tried: Yosuke Hanamura.

Yu felt his mouth twitch up in the beginnings of a smile, but forced his expression to blank as he approached. Yosuke was hunched over, both hands over his crotch. His bag and umbrella were on the ground nearby. Thinking back, Yu had simply ignored Yosuke the first time - which, in all honestly, was a little cold. But _he_ was a little cold back then. Bending over, he picked up Yosuke's bag in one hand and the umbrella with the other, stretching out his arm to hold it over Yosuke's head.

Yosuke went still, then slowly turned his head to look up. Yu's breath caught as their eyes met, and he swallowed to try and push down the lump in his throat.

"You okay?" Yu asked. Yosuke straightened up with a groan.

"You didn't see that, did you...?" He looked around, then sagged. "Who am I kidding, everyone saw that."

Yu did his best not to laugh as he handed Yosuke back his umbrella and bag. His best friend - former, or future, who even _knew_ anymore - shook out his hair and righted his jacket. Yosuke's signature copper hair was bright, most likely freshly dyed for the start of second term.

"Thanks," He told Yu, going to pick up his bike.

"No problem."

They didn't speak again on the way to school, though Yosuke chose to walk his bike the rest of the way.

Yasogami was the same, right down to the musty smell of old wood. Yu stopped by the faculty office to get his paperwork in order and shoe locker assignment (the same as last time), then went to room 2-2. He could hear Morooka giving his sermons to the class before gesturing Yu inside.

When he walked up to the front, Yu noticed a few girls batting their eyelashes at him while King Moron went on. He said Yu was a loser, and somehow, he didn't feel like taking it this time.

"You callin' me a loser?" he said, cocking an eyebrow at his teacher.

Morooka looked stunned for a moment, and then scowled in fury. "That's it, you're on my shit list!"

There was significant chatter through the class as Yu went to his seat, a little smug at finally getting to backsass King Moron. It felt sort of good, if he was honest.

Classes dragged. It was the exact same material as the first time. And if that was the case, at least the school year would be in the bag. It did mean sitting through lectures would be painfully boring, however. Once the final bell rang, several girls approached Yu's desk and began to ask him about where he was from. He barely had time to answer them before the intercom sounded, telling students to remain in their classrooms.

 _Shit._ Yu knew exactly why: Mayumi Yamano was found dead.

Chie approached his desk with Yukiko in tow, and Yu experienced another set of awkward second introductions. Chie, he noted, was thinner than he remembered, probably because she had yet to gain all of her signature muscle in the TV World. Yukiko looked exhausted, though she was trying to pretend she wasn't.

Chie suggested walking home, so they went to leave. The three were met by Yosuke, who was shifting his weight and looking pale.

"Uh, Miss Satonaka..."

Yu blanched as Yosuke held out the DVD. He remembered what came next - and Yosuke had already taken one hit to the nuts this morning, courtesy of his crappy bike. As Chie lunged, so did Yu, shoving Yosuke aside and putting himself between his two friends. He had a fraction of a second of regret before Chie's foot landed squarely between his legs.

Yu crumbled to the floor, clutching his balls and trying to resist the urge to barf. He'd forgotten just how strong Chie was, even in the beginning. They were talking above him, and it took a few seconds before his brain could focus enough to make out the words.

"The hell, Chie!"

"I wasn't aiming for him, I was aiming for you!"

"For what? A stupid DVD?"

"You cracked the disc! It's ruined!"

"Oh my god, it's just a freaking DVD, I already said I'd replace it!"

"Hey, are you okay?"

It was Yukiko's voice then, as she bent down to Yu's level. He looked up at her kind expression and remembered just why she was the team healer. He took a breath and sat up.

"Yeah," he grunted. "I'll be alright."

Using a desk for leverage, Yu stood. The remaining students in the classroom were focused on him, whispering to each other. Chie was tucking the cracked DVD into her bag, looking guilty, while Yosuke came up to his side.

"Dude, you didn't have to step in like that. I'll buy you lunch or something, okay?" He looked at his phone. "I gotta go, got a shift at work soon. Don't kick the new guy again, Chie!"

Yu watched him scamper off, and though it was awkward, he left the school with Chie and Yukiko. The tone was light as they told him about which stairwells were supposedly haunted, and to avoid the first floor bathrooms after lunchtime, since they were closest to the faculty office. As they approached the gate, a boy came out from behind the pillar. It took Yu a few seconds before he recognized him, and it threw him for one hell of a loop. He'd completely forgotten meeting him so soon.

"You're Yuki, right?" Kubo stuttered, not even introducing himself. "Wanna go hangout somewhere?"

Yu bristled, going on the defensive. Kubo just came straight out, calling Yukiko by a pet name. Did it sound that _slimy_ last time? He watched Yukiko turn him down again, Kubo storming off like a scolded child. Yu watched him go, noting the direction. He should probably try to find out what school he went to this time, and keep tabs on him.

It occurred to Yu, as he walked through the town with Chie and Yukiko, that he should probably try to save Morooka if he could. The guy was an ass, but did he really deserve to be murdered? Maybe, a little voice in his head whispered, but Yu frowned and told it to shut up.

"There really is nothing here, huh?" Chie's question cut through his thoughts. They were already halfway from school, a patty of freshly planted rice nearby, framed by the mountains in the distance.

"I like it," Yu answered. "It's got a quiet charm."

Chie seemed surprised as they continued walking. A few blocks later they were met with blockades and tarps, and Yu's stomach bottomed out. Damn, it was happening _so fast._

As confused as his two new(ish) friends were, Yu knew what was going on, and went right up to the police line to look. On the next block, he could see a black tarp on a stretcher - no, a body bag, being hauled into an ambulance. The housewives around him were chattering up a storm.

Footsteps ran by, and Yu turned just in time to see Adachi rush to the other side of the street to vomit. Then his uncle's booming voice sounded, yelling at his partner (or subordinate? Yu honestly couldn't tell what exactly their dynamic was), before turning his attention to them.

"What are you doing here? The school should have told you not to go through here."

"Sorry," Yu said, trying to look bashful. "We were just passing through."

Dojima sighed. "Well, just hurry on home, all of you."

Nodding, Yu went on his way as Dojima returned to the crime scene. He bid Yukiko and Chie goodbye, and almost started towards the house, but then remembered Nanako and his promise to cook dinner. And since Dojima would be staying late at work again, it would definitely life his cousin's spirits to have a home cooked meal.

He passed by the house entirely and went for the Junes grocery department. It didn't take long to gather the ingredients, including small cuts of beef flank steak that were on special. Yu remembered the typical state of the Dojima house fridge and worked on the assumption that he would need to buy everything for udon, not wanting to risk having only a tub of expired miso and a single piece of ham to work with. Basket full, he headed for the checkout line, briefly wondering was department Yosuke was working in today.

Once the checker rang him up, Yu reached for his wallet, and almost choked when he opened it. A thick stack of ten thousand yen notes stared at him, and it took him a minute to find a smaller bill to hand to the cashier. He absolutely hadn't come to Inaba with that much cash the first time. It was only after months of part-time jobs and fighting in the TV World did he end up with any real money. Did he keep his cash when he went back in time, too?

He couldn't really come up with an answer that satisfied him by the time he returned home. Nanako was sullen, watching the news alone.

"I'm ho-- back," Yu answered, tripping over his words. This place wasn't his home, not yet, and he needed to be careful about how he acted. "I got beef for dinner."

That seemed to delight Nanako, who left her cushion by the TV to come into the kitchen. She showed him where all the pots and pans were, and Yu thanked her even though he knew by heart. Nanako took a seat at the kitchen table and watched him cook, and they chatted about school. Yu let her cut the fish cakes since they only needed a dull knife, and soon they were sitting down to hot bowls of udon with simmered beef.

"This is so good!" Nanako praised, seemingly undaunted by her father's absence. They watched a rerun of a comedy show and washed the dishes, then Yu brought his homework downstairs to keep Nanako company. The work was mind-numbingly simple, given he'd already done it once before, and he finished it quickly. Yu let Nanako bathe first, then took his bath and headed upstairs.

Settling into his futon, Yu rubbed at his temples. He was only two days in and already there was almost too much to keep track of - at least in his head. He got an idea, and turned on his light again to dig through his school supplies. Yu found an unused spiral notebook and spent the next hour jotting down notes, the date, the weather, and daily events. There was no way he could recollect every little detail without having some kind of system. As he went to sleep, Yu mused that he should probably buy a proper journal.

He had an entire year to relive, and he was determined to do it right this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to move slowly at first, since there's a lot that happens in the first few days of the game. It will pick up speed once intro's are taken care of. Thanks for reading!


	3. A Failed Attempt

On the morning of April thirteenth, Yu tapped at the screen on his TV. It was solid glass and didn't react at all. When he went downstairs, he was treated to another round of Nanako's eggs and toast, making a note to teach her a few more breakfast recipes. He walked her the first half of the way to school, then started down the floodplain road alone. Once on the other side, he could hear the telltale squeak of Yosuke's bike approaching at speed. He could almost count down the seconds in his head until the bike sped by, hurdling straight into a stack of metal bins.

Several other students kept walking past as Yosuke flailed inside the trashcan. Setting his bag down on pavement, Yu looped his arms around Yosuke's waist. He heard a surprise yelp echo inside the can before he pulled, dislodging his friend. Yosuke seemed a little stunned, and either he didn't notice Yu picking the debris from his hair, or he didn't mind.

"Thanks," he finally said, shaking his head and brushing off his uniform. Yu nodded and helped him to his feet.

Picking up his bike, Yosuke smiled. "You're the transfer student, yeah? I'm Yosuke Hanamura. Nice to meet ya."

"Likewise," Yu responded.

Yosuke launched into gossip about Mayumi Yamano's murder, and Yu motioned for them to walk as they talked. Yosuke had the same suspicions about her death being a murder, and this time Yu quickly agreed, certain he'd brushed off the claim as Yosuke's imagination last time. He knew better now. His best friend was as candid as ever, speaking his mind as soon as the thoughts occurred. It was impressive that Yosuke's mouth could keep up with his brain at all, the way it never stopped moving at breakneck speeds.

"Oh crap, we're late!" Yosuke patted the seat of his bike. "Want a ride? It's a little squeaky but--"

He should have said no. He really, _really_ should have said no to that deathtrap of a bike. But Yosuke was smiling at him, even gave him a little wink, and Yu caved. They rode the rest of the way together, with Yu balancing on the back pegs, bracing himself on Yosuke's shoulders as he pedaled. They ended up being only two minutes late and got away with only a minor bitching out from Morooka.

After a tortuously long day of classes, Yu stretched in his chair. He hadn't paid much attention to the lecture - he didn't really need to - and instead, tried to come up with ways to save Saki Konishi. If he was remembering his time table correctly, he only had one day. If she showed up on the Midnight Channel tonight, she was as good as dead. The problem was, of course, that Yu still didn't know who the real killer was. They'd thought it was Namatame, but after what happened in that hospital room, he wasn't so sure anymore.

He also didn't know Saki, and she didn't know him. Still, he'd been told more than once in his life that he had a natural charm, so maybe he could use it to his advantage. He hoped so, anyway.

Yu ended up at Junes with Chie and Yosuke, but this time he was being treated by Chie as an apology for almost pulverizing his testicles. Yukiko had opted not to join them, the Amagi Inn still in turmoil. The conversation was much the same as Yu remembered: Yosuke explaining his family's relation to Junes, and the closed stores in the shopping district. Yu didn't miss how Yosuke curled in on himself slightly.

When Saki Konishi took a seat at a nearby table, Yu felt sweat prickle up on his back. He had to be careful here. A false move and he could end up scaring her off, or worse, making himself look guilty. He went over his plan in his head again as Yosuke flirted without success.

There was a little pang in his heart as he realized that if Saki didn't die, Yosuke would have no reason to get over his crush on her. Yu pinched his wrist in self-scolding. It's not like he would have much of a chance, anyway. He learned that the hard way last time.

When Saki approached him, Yu stood, extending his hand. She seemed surprised, but shook it. And when she warned him of Yosuke's nosiness, Yu smiled.

"I think he's great."

Saki laughed and Yosuke blushed, and it all seemed so friendly that Yu almost forgot what he'd heard in the twisted liquor store.

When she left and they returned to their seats, Chie's teasing of Yosuke turned into a discussion of the Midnight Channel. Yu chimed in saying he'd heard the rumors. It was almost cute, what they thought it was at first - see your soulmate on a mysterious TV program. If only it were just that. With an agreement to try it out the three parted ways, but instead of going straight home, Yu began to comb Junes for Saki. He had to ask another employee, but eventually found her in the beauty section, stocking a shelf of hair products.

"Oh, hey!" She greeted, putting a final bottle on the shelf. "What's up?"

"Senpai." Yu took a breath. This would be a real test of his acting skills. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

She raised an eyebrow at him but nodded, setting the boxes aside and motioning him towards an unoccupied corner. Yu glanced around, making sure no one was listening in.

"You left school early yesterday, right?"

"Yeah," Saki said, playing nervously with the hem of her apron. "What about it?"

Yu lowered his voice. "My uncle is Detective Dojima. I'm living with him right now, so I sort of heard that you were the one who discovered Mayumi Yamano's body."

Saki visibly tensed. Yu held up his palms. "I'm sorry, I guess that's unpleasant, but--"

"It was so freaky," She interrupted, her voice shaking. "She was just hanging there, like someone dropped her out of the _sky_ or something."

"Sorry," he apologized again. "Listen, did anyone ask you about it? Like a reporter or anything?" He knew, of course, that she'd be interviewed. But coming out and saying it might make him suspicious.

"Yeah," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Some guy who said he was with the news was asking me really weird questions, and I didn't know how to answer. He said he'd blur my face when it went on TV, but..."

Yu sighed. "Okay. Listen, this might sound scary, but.. please watch out for yourself, okay? I've studied criminal justice, and sometimes witnesses can be in danger of retaliation by a killer." He was proud of himself for saying it so convincingly, but Saki went pale, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"S-someone might come after me?"

"Not necessarily," Yu said quickly. "But still, you should probably not go anywhere by yourself for a while. Have someone walk you to and from work, and don't answer the door alone. Stay home as much as possible."

Saki looked terrified, her eyes wide and shoulders trembling. Yu felt awful to frighten her, but it was better she was scared now than dead later.

"Again, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

It took a minute for Saki to regain her composure, but when she did, she shook her head. "No, it's okay. You're right, I should play it safe." She took her phone from her pocket and glanced at it. "I can probably get a coworker to give me a ride home tonight."

"Okay, good." Yu sighed, letting out a tense breath. "Not exactly ideal introductions, huh?"

She laughed lightly, pocketing her phone. "I'll say. But... thanks."

Yu made a show of checking his watch. "I should get going. My little cousin is home alone." He turned to leave, waving. "I'll see you around, senpai."

"Hey!" she called, and Yu stopped. Saki walked up to him and touched his arm. "You're friends with Yosuke, right?" She hesitated, biting her lip. "Take care of him."

Yu smiled. "He really likes you."

She rolled her eyes just a bit, but it looked affectionate as she sighed. "I know. He sort of can't take a hint, but he's a good kid, really sweet... he just kind of needs someone to help keep his feet on the ground, you know?"

He already knew of Yosuke's ability to get lost in himself, and nodded. "Yeah. I'll do my best."

They said slightly awkward goodbyes, and Yu stopped in the grocery section to buy pudding for himself and Nanako. She would need a little cheering up today, and he could use some as well. He hated having to lie, but it was worth it if he could save someone.

At home, Nanako had ordered enough dinner for three, though Dojima wasn't home yet. She smiled when Yu showed off the pudding he'd purchased, and after tucking it into the fridge, they sat down to eat. Dojima finally trudged in a half hour later, looking like he'd been run over, asking Nanako to turn on the news.

Saki was on, as Yu knew she would be. He felt the need to say something.

"That's Saki Konishi," Yu pointed out as the reporter asked her questions. Dojima seemed surprised.

"How do you --" he stopped and rubbed his eyes, groaning. "Damn, it's obvious. They didn't exactly do a good job of hiding her identity, did they?"

"No. I just met her, but anyone could recognize her hair, and you can still see her Yasogami uniform."

The news continued and Dojima fell asleep where he was sitting, heedless of Nanako's questions about Junes. Yu stepped in and promised to take her, to which she grinned wide and sang the Junes song again.

After a bath and homework, Yu went up to his room to pace, praying nothing would show up on his TV. The rain was coming down at a steady rate, running down his window pane and obscuring the street outside. This afternoon was his only chance to warn Saki. He didn't know when or where she'd been taken, so he had no way to directly intervene.

The clock ticked to Midnight, and Yu stared at the tiny TV in his room. It flickered and came to life, bathing his room in yellow.

_Please, please, please don't be there-_

Images flashed across the screen. A girl in a school uniform, looking like she was being pulled in several different directions by invisible strings. Her long ashy hair whipped about her face.

Yu stared, clenching his jaw. "Dammit," he muttered, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes. "Dammit...!"

She was gone. There was no way to save her. He had no way to safely enter the TV, and even if he could, he didn't have any real way to help. He had no weapons, no secondary Personas, and Izanagi was still chained in his mind. Yu shook with frustration.

Then a rush of pain hit him, Izanagi roaring inside him so loud and intense that Yu almost fell to his knees. He clutched at his head as he heard his Persona's voice. _Come back,_ Yu begged. _Please, I need you!_

The throbbing in his skull ebbed. Yu tested his TV screen again, and sure enough, his fingers went straight through as if it were water, cool and smooth. He felt something brush his hand and jerked his arm back quickly, remembering quite clearly how he was almost pulled in last time.

It was a long while before Yu managed to fall asleep, guilt gnawing at him for hours.


	4. Hello Again

Yu awoke with a headache, what little sleep he managed to get was shallow and made him toss and turn on his futon. It was still raining outside, though it had slowed to a drizzle that pattered against the roof tiles.

He found a bag of flour in the cupboard that wasn't quite expired, and made pancakes for Nanako. It helped ease his frustration about Saki, knowing he could at least make his cousin happy. He didn't finish what he'd served himself, suddenly nauseated knowing he'd have to try to save her, too.

On the walk to school, Yu was startled by Chie shoving herself under his umbrella to escape the rain, saying she'd broken her own trying to mimic one of her Kung Fu movies. He didn't remember that at all, but it seemed so like her, so he let Chie walk with him to school. She seemed a bit unsettled, and Yu figured it was probably because she actually saw something on the Midnight Channel.

During lunch break, a few students were gossiping about Saki, and how she wasn't at school. Yu excused himself to go sit in a bathroom stall, pressing his hands into his face, angry with himself.

When afternoon classes were finally over, Yosuke stood and stretched, coming to stand beside his desk. Chie did the same. Yukiko excused herself quickly, and Yu noticed how thin she looked, her cardigan hanging off her frame too loosely. His two remaining friends chatted briefly about Saki discovering the body, and Yu felt queasy. Tomorrow the news would break that she was dead. That was where it had all started, honestly - the reason to keep going back into the TV.

"I saw someone! I seriously saw a girl!"

"Wait, I did too. I think?"

"You too? But does that mean...?"

"I saw a girl as well," Yu interrupted, his patience too thin to listen to this entire conversation again. "I went to touch the screen, and my hand went right through it. I think something inside tried to bite me."

They both stared at him as if he'd sprouted horns, then glanced at each other. "Dude," Yosuke said, putting a hand on his hip. "Sounds like you stayed up too late."

"Yeah," Chie chimed in. "What, were you trying to reach in and grab the girl you saw?"

He flushed a litttle at the accusation. "No," Yu answered. "Besides, my TV is tiny. I would've gotten stuck."

That made them both pause, then laugh, and the discussion went on to televisions. He couldn't help but be a little irritated at being brushed off, but then again, what sound-minded person would actually have believed him?

The walk to Junes was filled with enough friendly banter that Yu forgot his irritability. What happened next....? They fell into the flatscreen TV, explored the backlot, found the apartment, and - he cringed, remembering how Yosuked had almost pissed himself. How exactly he could just forget that his bladder was full was beyond Yu, but he could stand to not relive that particular detail, for his own sake as well as his friend's. When they entered Junes, Yu announced that he was making a detour to the men's room. Yosuke's eyes widened and he said a quick "me too!" before bounding towards the restrooms. Chie rolled her eyes and walked along, ducking into the ladies room while muttering to herself.

Yu didn't actually have to go but went anyway, figuring it was one less thing to worry about while they wandered around in the TV World's fog, Yosuke definitely did have to go, taking his time and letting out an exaggerated sigh of relief. Yu washed his hands and fixed his hair while he waited for Yosuke to finish, then joined Chie in the hallway outside.

The electronics section of Junes somehow seemed smaller than Yu remembered, though he was pretty sure there were the same number of televisions along the walls. Chie and Yosuke went on with their little salesman and customer shtick while Yu poked at the large display TV. It was the same one they'd gone into first. He might be able to pick another one, but the entrance to the TV World was based on location. Sure, going into one a few feet away might not make an actual difference, but it still carried a risk that he wasn't willing to take unarmed. For all he knew, the difference between this TV and that one could be the difference between landing on the catwalk and falling right past it into oblivion.

He could hear his friend's conversation trailing, and figured now was as good a time as any. With a grunt that was entirely on purpose, Yu stuck his hand through the screen, watching it ripple. And as expected, his friends panicked as soon as they saw, Yosuke's voice going high and squeaky as Chie stuttered. Yu suppressed a grin as he put even more of his arm inside.

Chie was really freaking out then, starting to pace back and fourth. Then Yu realized that it was actually Yosuke's fault they'd fallen in the first time, his frantic scrambling from his stressed bladder knocking them all inside. But now he was standing firm by the TV, his arms twitching like he wanted to reach over and pull Yu away.

Unwilling to miss this chance and without any better options, Yu jerked, pretending something was dragging him inside.

"Something's got my hand!" He gasped. Chie gasped and immediately grabbed his free arm, but he had superior upper body strength, and forced his head through the screen. He was greeted by the yellow fog and the familiar stale scent of the back lot, though he couldn't see the platform from here. Yu could still hear Yosuke and Chie losing their minds, a pair of arms circling his torso. Yosuke was going to try and yank him out, and he had the leverage and the strength to succeed if Yu didn't act first.

Silently apologizing, Yu gripped Chie's wrist and flung himself inside the TV, pulling them both with him.

There was something oddly comforting about falling into the TV again after months of avoiding it. The strange way reality shifted, tilting just enough to be alien. As they approached the bottom, Yu tucked, rolling as he hit the ground. Yosuke and Chie, however, landed with painful sounding thumps, groaning.

"Man, I landed on my wallet..."

Standing, Yu wiped the grin from his face. It would be Yosuke's luck to land on his ass both times.

"Are you guys okay?" Yu asked. Chie was brushing the dust from her skirt, looking around.

"Where...?"

Yu was calm, remembering just how unsettling it had been the first time. Then again, the back lot was freaky without his glasses. The fog obscured anything more than a few feet away and diffused the glow of the lights on the catwalk, making the glare painful. Chie and Yosuke were turning around, looking for an exit.

"Let's look around," Yu suggested. "But stay together."

"Good idea," Chie shivered, hugging her arms. "I can barely see anything."

They wandered the catwalks, up a flight of stairs, and across a bridge. Worry was creeping up Yu's spine as they walked. They'd found the apartment with the noose completely by chance. What if they didn't find it this time? What if they were really lost? What if Teddie didn't let them out?

Turning a corner, Yu spotted the red and black bands in the sky, and the catwalk turned into cement. He could just barely make out the shape of the apartment door a little ways ahead. Relieved, he let out a noisy breath, making Yosuke turn back to look at him.

"You okay, man?"

Yu nodded. "Yeah, just... a little freaked out." It wasn't really a lie if it was true a few moments ago.

"I hear that," Yosuke said quietly.

The fog was a little less dense inside the apartment, something they all noticed. Yu's head was beginning to throb as Yosuke checked his cell phone. It was bizarre being back here, with the neatly made bed on one side, and the ripped posters and splatters of color on the other side. Yu originally assumed it was paint, but he was beginning to rethink that idea now.

His friends began to speculate and examine the room, which was far more quiet without Yosuke's near accident. Yu kept quiet and let them talk. The poster was, of course, Mizusu Hiiragi. And given the other evidence he'd gained since the first time, it was fairly obvious to him that this was Mayumi Yamano's reality. Hiiragi had been the one to break the news about the afair and ruin her broadcast television career, so the ripped posters made sense. The noose, which Yosuke had just noticed, still made Yu uneasy. Yamano must have been in a darker place than he realized.

"Let's... let's go back," Chie said, her voice sounding weak. "I'm starting to feel sick."

So was Yu, like he'd been on a boat for too long, his sense of balance starting to waver. They retraced their steps to the back lot, much slower this time. Chie began to lag behind and Yu took her hand to help her keep up. She squeaked but made no move to pull away. With his other hand Yu took a hold of Yosuke's fingers, who let out a weird squawk.

"We need to stay together," Yu said.

Yosuke nodded, looking pale, and tightened his grip.

When they reached the back lot again, Yu could faintly hear the squeaking of Teddie's shoes, and strained to hear. He missed Ted so much, one day just vanishing without a word. He steeled himself as the bear trotted into view, his smile and eyes wide and friendly. And just like when he met Nanako at the station, Yu had to clench his jaw to keep from running to him.

Chie and Yosuke seemed less excited to see him, of course. And as soon as Teddie let out a single word, they were both on edge, dropping into defensive positions. Yu grabbed their hands again and pulled them back, even as Teddie was cowering.

"Uh. Mister bear?" he asked carefully. "We need to leave, but we can't find a way out."

"Mister bear?" Yosuke asked in a harsh whisper. Yu shushed him as Teddie uncurled.

"Oh!" he said cheerfully. "I can let you out! But you shouldn't come back here, things have been scary!"

"Like they aren't right now?" Chie snorted. "This place is freaky as hell!"

Teddie frowned. "It's not always this bad. But someone's been throwing people in here lately. You should go!"

That's when Chie snapped. Yu couldn't blame her for it, not really. This was a strange and terrifying experience, and Chie was the 'don't think, feel' type. And when Yosuke joined in on the yelling, it sent Teddie scurrying to hide behind Yu.

"Easy," Yu said to his friends, holding up his palms. "Let's stay calm. You said you'd let us out, right?" He asked Teddie, who was still shrinking away.

With a few taps of his foot, the exit TVs appeared out of thin air. It was comforting to see them, especially given how sick Yu was starting to feel. They were unceremoniously shoved through, and the linoleum floor of the Junes electronics department was a welcome sight.

While Yosuke and Chie put together the pieces of Hiiragi's posters and the ones in the TV World, Yu checked his phone. It was already after seven, and Nanako would have already ordered dinner. He needed to get home.

The three of them parted ways, and Yu trudged home in the rain. The bottoms of his pants were wet by the time he got back to the Dojima house, but he was too exhausted to care. Yu felt genuinely awful, a chill seeping into his bones. Yu stopped in the kitchen to fix himself a cup of hot tea before slumping on his cushion at the table.

"You alright?" Dojima asked him. "You look pale."

Yu held his teacup with both hands, willing his body to absorb some of the warmth. "I think I'm just tired."

Dojima nodded, toying with the cover of his instant ramen before speaking again. "Say, did you hear anything about Saki Konishi, the third year?"

Yu's chest ached. "She wasn't at school today," he said mostly to his tea. He didn't really have the energy to feign ignorance.

Dojima went on to say that she'd disappeared, but Yu was only half listening. He should have stayed in the TV World. He should have demanded that Teddie take him to Saki, even if the logical part of him knew he would have been screwed if he'd tried that. No glasses, no weapons, and still no Persona. He would have been as good as dead.

Yu sneezed into the crook of his arm. Dojima asked Nanako to get him medicine, which he took with his tea. There was a box of leftover Aiya's in the fridge that Yu reheated and ate with little interest, his stomach still unsettled. The bath, at least, chased the chill from his body, and he fell asleep quickly despite the looming dread for what the dawn would bring.


	5. Jiraya, Igor, & the Compendium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've become obsessed with describing details of the TV World that we didn't get in canon. Mostly how it smells.

The morning of Friday, April 15th brought more rain, and Dojima was rushing out the door just as Yu came downstairs. He really didn't want to go to school today. He didn't want to face the assembly and see Yosuke upset. He wanted to pause this reality so he could think. Where had he gone wrong? Did Saki not heed his warning? Was it not enough? Did he just make it worse by warning her?

Yu ignored the gossiping students on the way to Yasogami high, but couldn't quite block out the sirens in the nearby streets. Morning classes dragged on, Yu's leg bouncing against his chair. Chie seemed to notice his unrest and whispered to him, asking what was wrong.

"Have a bad feeling about today," he whispered back.

In the middle of afternoon classes, the assembly was called. Everyone filed into the gym obediently, and Yu stood next to Yosuke and braced himself. The guilt made his stomach churn, and it would only get worse as his best friend learned what happened.

"...Miss Saki Konishi of class three... has passed away."

The principal wasn't even finished speaking before gasps and murmurs erupted from the crowd of students. Yu glanced at Yosuke to see his friend's arms dropping to his sides, his face going pale. Yosuke stared at the floor, not responding when Yu called his name or touched his shoulder.

When the assembly was over a few minutes later, Yosuke turned without a word and bolted out the door, almost pushing a classmate over. Yu followed close behind, ignoring Chie's shout of protest and ducking into the men's room.

Yosuke had burst into a stall and was on his knees vomiting, an awful retch and splatter echoing against the tile walls. Yu stood back to give him room, not wanting to intrude too much. Yosuke heaved a few more times, then coughed and sniffled. There was a rustle of fabric as the toilet flushed and Yosuke came out of the stall, his face sheet-white and wet.

"You okay?" Yu asked. Yosuke didn't answer, stumbling over to the sinks. He leaned on them with both hands, his head down, sniffling again. At a loss, Yu just stood by him, unsure of what would make it better, if he should rub his back, or if Yosuke would hate being touched right now. He took a small chance and let his palm rest on Yosuke's shoulder. His friend hiccuped, then sighed, finally letting go of the sink to pull his headphones off his neck.

"...'m okay," Yosuke rasped, his throat raw from bile. He set his headphones aside and turned on the faucet, sticking his hands under the running water. He splashed his face once, twice with water, then turned to Yu.

"Gimme a minute?"

Nodding, Yu gave his shoulder a pat before turning and exiting the restroom. The hallways were empty now, most students having returned to their classrooms for the last few minutes of the day. Chie was standing at the end, picking at the hem of her jacket.

"Is Yosuke okay?"

Yu glanced back towards the restrooms. "I think so."

They chatted while waiting for Yosuke to return, overhearing more girls gossiping about Saki's death and the Midnight Channel. It made Chie shrink a bit where she stood. When Yosuke finally came down the hall, he was still pale and trembling, but his eyes were set with familiar determination.

It didn't surprise him that Yosuke was able to put two and two together in regards to the murders and the TV World, as ridiculous as it had all sounded the first time around. Yosuke was sharp like that. He seemed doubtful even of his own theories, which almost made Yu want to laugh. If only he knew how dead-on he actually was.

There wasn't any point in trying to stop Yosuke from going into the TV, so Yu stuck with him. Chie complained the whole way but came along as well, and within the hour they were standing before the flat screen TV. Yosuke was in much higher spirits, barely containing his excitement about their adventure, armed with his rope and golf club. Yu hid a grimace; Yosuke's shadow was waiting for them. This wouldn't be pretty.

Chie complained at being left behind, but Yu didn't want to risk taking them both. If this was indeed playing out the same, then he was about to finally have Izanagi back - but given how everything else seemed to have started from zero again, there was a good chance his Persona would be just a fledgling again. He promised Chie that they'd be careful, and took Yosuke's hand to climb through the screen.

Teddie met them right away, and the long winded accusations began. Yu couldn't really blame the bear for associating them with what was happening; they came into his world at the same time it started changing. Watching Yosuke try to grasp all the new info about shadows was a little amusing, he had to admit. Give him another few weeks, and he'd know this place backwards and forwards.

The bickering came to a halt when Yosuke finally popped off Teddie's head, stumbling back from the empty costume it revealed. Even though he knew there was nothing inside, the sight still unsettled Yu. It would be sometime in the summer when Teddie finally gained a body, right after they would rescue Rise. When exactly was that...?

"Hey, what should we do?"

The question jerked Yu from his thoughts. Teddie was crying in front of them, his whole suit quivering.

"You're the only ones I can ask," he whimpered. "Will you promise me...?"

That's right, Teddie made them promise to find the real killer. That was where it all began in earnest, where Yu signed a verbal contract that allowed him entry into the Velvet Room. He could potentially change it here. He could refuse. But would that bar his access to Igor and Margaret? He couldn't really afford to go without them. And it had already begun; if Yu did nothing now, Yukiko would die, then Kanji, Rise, and the others. It was a choice, but not one he was willing to make.

"I promise, Teddie."

Yosuke shot him a look, his eyebrows knitting together. _"Teddie?"_

Realizing his slip up, Yu's skin flashed cold as he groped for a response. "I mean... he's a bear, isn't he?"

"I am!" Teddie perked up, all evidence of his crying vanishing from his face. "And my name _is_ Teddie! What a lucky guess!"

One of Yosuke's eyebrows remained cocked as they were handed their glasses. If he felt like questioning Yu further, he must have changed his mind as they slipped the frames over their noses. The relief probably came through Yu's voice as he sighed, glancing around. Even a few minutes in the fog was enough to make his head throb.

They were led to the shadow of the shopping district. It was even more decrepit than Yu remembered, thick layers of rust covering every cracked surface. It smelled like decay and something sickly sweet that took Yu a few minutes to recognize - sake, like it had been spilled and left for too long without being cleaned up.

At the entrance to the liquor store, Yu gripped the golf club that Yosuke had given him. Any second now, the shadows would attack. His heart drummed against his ribs with anticipation, waiting for Izanagi's voice. The Halberies came, knocking Yosuke down. A bead of sweat trickled down Yu's back.

_I am thou._

Even though he winced against the pain that shot through his skull, Yu was thrilled to hear that voice, blaring inside his brain loud enough to make his ears burst.

 _It's about time,_ he said to his Persona. The card appeared in his hand, and with a grin he couldn't hide, Yu summoned Izanagi.

It _hurt._

He'd forgotten about the pain of the first time, almost as if Izanagi was bursting out of his skin, leaving it shredded in his wake. All of him was on fire as lightning surged through his bones and hair and fingertips. Yu screamed, a roar that tore itself from his throat.

The fire faded and Izanagi's image stood over him, strong and silent, yellow eyes glowing behind his mask. The pain was gone, and in its place a power hummed low in Yu's veins.

He dispatched the shadows with fair ease. Izanagi was feeble, his power that of a newborn Persona, but this time Yu had the advantage of understanding the inner workings of the TV World. Even with weak lightning spells and a discount golf club, he was a force to be reckoned with.

When the fight ended, Izanagi settled back into his soul, and Yu put a hand to his chest. He'd missed that feeling so much over the last few days, unable to reach his Persona at all.

"What was that?" Yosuke cried as he jogged up to Yu. "How did you do that?" His friend was practically pawing at him in excitement, Teddie chiming in. Yu realized that he didn't know how he did that, how Izanagi came to be his. He never faced a shadow. It was like his Persona was given to him, like a housewarming gift. Welcome to Inaba, here is your magical summon creature.

Inside the liquor store was damp and clammy, cold air rolling out of the coolers that lined the walls. The smell of old liquor was stronger here, mixed with skunky beer and mold. Yu scanned the room, seeing nothing but barrels stacked higher than he could see. Yosuke's shadow wasn't quite here yet. Saki's still lingered though, and Yosuke shrank from her cruel words.

_I was only nice to him because he's the manager's son, that's all... But he takes it completely the wrong way. What a dip._

"Is that... what she really thought...?" Yosuke's voice broke. He dropped the photo he was holding, the one that was sliced up except for the bit with himself and Saki. The first time, Yu hadn't really understood the true force of her words, having barely known Yosuke at all. But now he felt a sympathy pain for his friend, who's heart was breaking in front of him.

The pressure in the air changed, and Yu's hair stood on end. He felt Yosuke's shadow materialize before he heard it say anything, quickly turning to face the yellow eyed double. Yu made sure to listen closely this time, hear what the shadow had to say. It was the same as before, but now Yu knew Yosuke. He could connect the words to his actions; his loneliness and boredom, his frustration at being ostracized by the town, the desire to go anywhere else, be anyone else. He could stop this, but Yosuke might not gain any strength unless he actually faced his shadow. His shoulders shook as the shadow taunted him.

"A world inside a TV? Now that's exciting!" The shadow turned his gaze on Yu, who bristled.

"If it all went well, you might be a hero! Hell," it leered, "You might even impress the new guy, right?"

Heat flooded into Yu's cheeks. Did that happen before?

There wasn't time to contemplate that as Yosuke was shouting back, denying the shadow. Too late to stop him, Yu held out his free hand as Yosuke's other self began to transform, twisting and writhing. The sound of snapping bones and something fleshy and wet was all around them as Jiraya took shape, towering over them and knocking over a stack of kegs.

Yosuke collapsed and Yu caught him, cradling him for just a moment before lowering him gently to the floor. Yu gripped the handle of the golf club and stepped forward.

It still wasn't an easy fight. Yu willed Izanagi's lightning spells to do more, but it seemed willpower alone wasn't enough. Jiraya's wind magic knocked him down more than once, dragging him over the filthy floor and making him stumble to stand. Yu hit him with magic, over and over, until it felt like his organs were dry and shriveled in his belly and his vision blurred.

Jiraya finally fell, cracking the floor tiles and shaking the room as he did. The giant lumbering frog vanished and a copy of Yosuke was in its place, the air rushing in to fill the void with a pop.

Yu dropped to one knee, breathing deep and sweating. Was it that difficult last time? Why did he feel so weak?

With a groan Yosuke stirred, and Yu forced himself to stand and help him up. His friend's hands shook as he faced his Shadow, but Yu could almost feel the second-hand catharsis of it, of owning up to the shittiest part of yourself. He was a little jealous that he'd never gotten to do the same.

Yosuke hesitated, and Yu pressed a palm between his shoulder blades. "I've got your back," he said quietly. Turning his head and nodding, the muscles in Yosuke's back shifted and straightened. As he accepted his Persona, power radiated from Yosuke's body, pushing the stale air from the room with a gust.

Bracing his hands on his knees, Yosuke let out a long breath. He still looked pale, smiling wryly at the floor.

"Damn," he said. "What a way to find out Senpai didn't really like me at all, huh?"

Yu shook his head, moving to stand at Yosuke's side. "I don't think that's entirely true."

"Dude, you heard her voice -"

Patting Yosuke's back, Yu cut him off. "I talked to her before she disappeared. She said you were sweet. I think... I think that was her shadow we just heard, and that's only one part of her."

Sighing, Yosuke straightened his back. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Feeling bold, Yu swung an arm around Yosuke's shoulders to lead him out of the liquor store. He was more than a little surprised when an arm circled his waist, Yosuke leaning in as he muttered a thanks. A small part of Yu wanted to read into it, but Yosuke was sporting a considerable limp in his left leg, so he dismissed the thought.

Chie was waiting for them on the other side of the TV, severed rope in her hands and tears on her face. She stormed off just as Yu expected (but who could really blame her, they left her there for almost over an hour), and he made a note to treat her to a steak.

Yu left Junes and parted ways with Yosuke, who looked worn out but was smiling a little. It was still drizzling as he walked, and Yu was glad for it. He'd overdone it fighting Yosuke's shadow and probably smelled like sweat, but at least outside the scent of rain and earth was stronger. He needed a good scrub, a meal, and a long sleep.

On the floodplain he spotted a flash of pink against the gloom of the rain. It was Yukiko, sitting at the gazebo with a paper umbrella. Yu approached her but sat at the other end of the bench, self-conscious about his sticky shirt.

They made small talk, Yu having to suppress a grin when Yukiko commented on moving to an unfamiliar place. She was just as mature and dignified as Yu remembered, radiating traditional values. Yu enjoyed that about Yukiko; she was one of the ground wires of the team. It was interesting to note how much she talked about Chie, as if it were her fallback topic for when she was at a loss for conversation.

Yu said goodbye to Yukiko and went home, where he asked Nananko to order dinner while he took a bath. He caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror and frowned at his thin build. All the muscle he'd gained from soccer and fighting shadows over the last year was long gone. No wonder he was so tired after just one fight.

Afterwards he threw his uniform in the washing machine - he was glad he sat away from Yukiko on the bench, he _definitely_ smelled - and made tea. They watched the news, and Yu grimaced as Yukiko was interviewed. Who was this reporter and why was he continuously allowed to ask questions and make comments this wildly inappropriate? Maybe if he complained to the news station, something could be done about it. Then again, they might not listen to a seventeen year old boy.

Yu stopped washing the dish in his hand at that thought. _Sixteen,_ he corrected himself. It was 2011 and his birthday was months away. He was sixteen again. The realization was unsettling.

Yukiko appeared on the Midnight Channel, just like the remembered. He could clearly tell it was her this time, instead of the blobby silhouette he'd first seen. Yu thought about calling Yosuke, halfway to his phone when he remembered that they hadn't actually exchanged numbers yet. That would have been awkward.

It took another half hour to jot down all the events from the last two days in his makeshift journal. Then Yu tucked himself into bed, and was asleep in minutes, thoroughly worn out.

\-----

Lights were dancing in the darkness behind his eyes, growing until everything around him was illuminated. Gravity shifted, and Yu felt his body bend, sitting up. A cushion was below him, the hum of an engine close by.

"Welcome."

Opening his eyes, Yu took in the familiar blue of the Velvet Room, and his heart sped. He'd missed it, the weird other-worldliness of the limo, with the bar full of mystery liquors that never seemed to be touched. There didn't seem to be air in the Velvet Room, but Yu never seemed to need to breathe while inside, the interior of the car frozen in time. Igor sat at his table with Margaret at his side, ever poised, staring him down with the Persona Compendium in her hands.

"Do not be alarmed," Igor continued. "You are fast asleep in-"

"Igor," Yu cut him off with a huff of breath. "Margaret. I'm glad to see you. I need your help." Of anyone in either world, the residents of the Velvet Room could probably offer him the most guidance.

Igor raised one of his long, bushy eyebrows, threading his fingers together. "Well. It seems our guest is in need of assistance." He leveled his bulging eyes at Yu, his ever present grin stretching even further across his face. "What may we do for you?"

Weighing his options, Yu decided the direct approach was best. Igor always seemed to know exactly what he was doing, never needing explanations for Yu's actions. He just knew, always, and Yu didn't even know what Igor _was._ Maybe he was a god. And, he reasoned, it's probably pointless to dance around a topic when you're talking to a god.

"I'm reliving this year," Yu said flat out. Margaret's eyebrows shot up. "I've done this all before. Entered into the TV World, gained Personas, fought Shadows. I'm doing it all over again, and I don't know why or how."

Igor was silent for several tense moments, looking Yu up and down. Margaret was doing the same, her gaze scrutinizing.

"How interesting," Igor drawled, tapping at the side of his face with one of his grotesquely long fingers.

"Do you remember me? Do you remember any of it?" Yu figured it was a long shot, but what little hopes he had were dashed as Igor shook his head.

"I do not," he said. Margaret's face told Yu the same, and he frowned.

"Tell me, your contract. Did you abide by its terms to completion?"

Yu racked his brain for the memory. It was Teddie, making him promise to catch the killer. He'd said it so easily, such a benign thing, but that had been it. And he hadn't fulfilled the contract. He didn't catch the killer, he never found out who was really at fault.

"No," Yu answered, looking at the floor. "I didn't."

Igor clapped his hands together gently. Yu thought he might have looked surprised, but Igor's face never seemed to change much. "Fascinating. Those who do not complete their contracts are lost to destiny. And yet, here you are."

Remembering the train, how he fell through the floor and wound up back in time, something occurred to Yu. "I think it was my Persona," he said. "Izanagi told me I was being given another chance."

Margaret looked to Igor, somewhat alarmed. "Master?"

But Igor was smiling as always, undaunted. "I do not know how this came to be," he said softly. "And I sense that only you know where the branches in your path lie. I offer you my services in fusing Personas, but I cannot aid you further. We in the Velvet Room are not omniscient." He turned to his assistant, gesturing at the book in her lap. "Margaret, would you please open the Compendium?"

So she did, flipping the thick book to the middle, and gasping softly at what she saw. "It's nearly half full."

Yu sagged in relief. He'd fused some monumentally powerful Personas before December, and having them at his disposal again would make his journey so much easier. He had enough cash on him to summon Yatagarasu and Sarasvati, two of his most trusted, before closing the Compendium. He didn't want to risk having only Yosuke for healing, and Yatagarasu's Cool Breeze would help immensely while he built up his stamina.

"A word of caution, if I may," Igor said as Yu began to drift back into sleep. "History is not immutable. You would do well to take care in the choices you make. Knowing the potential outcomes can be very dangerous indeed."

The Velvet Room faded away, and Yu was left in darkness. Sounds began to filter in slowly; birds, the dripping of water, clinking plates in another room. Opening his eyes, Yu saw his bedroom, partially illuminated by a shaft of light coming in through the parted curtains.

He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, his body feeling surprisingly well rested. Igor hadn't really given him any answers, but Yu felt more confident than he had yesterday. His army of Personas was still here. He had knowledge of the TV World and wasn't going in blind. And he had the potential to correct some of the worst mistakes of his life.

He was ready.


	6. Into the TV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still writing this on the fly, feedback is welcome!

The clouds from the previous night's rain hadn't parted yet as Yu walked to school, trying to remember his time table. He had at least one more day before Yukiko would be taken, that he was sure of. But whether or not she would be at school today was a whole different issue. Yu honestly couldn't remember.

A bike bell interrupted his thoughts as Yosuke rode up on his bike. He looked chipper, uniform clean and his smile wide.

"Hey!" Yosuke dismounted from his bike with far more grace than he usually possessed. "You saw it last night, right?"

Nodding, Yu spoke in a hushed tone. "I think it was a girl."

"Really?" Yosuke frowned. "I couldn't tell. All I could see was a person-shaped blob."

Yu had to be careful about how much information he divulged at any given time. Of course he knew it was Yukiko - but if he let on as much, what would Yosuke even think? If he wasn't mindful of his words, he could end up throwing himself under a bus in a big way.

Yosuke's deductions led way into his determination to catch the killer. Yu was at least thankful this was the same. This was the reason Yosuke was his second in command, his tactician. He would have probably gotten himself killed without his help.

"We have to be the ones to do it!"

"Yes," Yu nodded in agreement. "It has to be us."

"Cool," Yosuke sighed, relief flooding his voice. He extended the hand closest to Yu's, his left, and smiled again. "Let's do our best!"

Yu took his hand in an awkward left handed shake, both of their dominant hands occupied with a bag and a bike. Warmth was spreading from Yosuke's fingers, crawling up Yu's wrist and into his arm. It settled in his chest, where somewhere deep inside a vaguely Yosuke shaped presence nestled itself, glowing.

"Yeah," Yu agreed, squeezing his friend's fingers. The sensation of Yosuke's social link was so fulfilling, like satisfying a craving he didn't know he had. This was why he worked so hard at them - his friends' energy made him feel _whole._

The rain was just beginning to fall as Yosuke locked his bike to the racks. They rushed inside the school, changing their shoes and walking to their classroom. Yosuke kept up a chatter, mostly about Junes and his move to Inaba, and his story about a lost box of clothes was cut off by Chie rushing in.

She was visibly upset about Yukiko not being at school, and at least that was one question answered.

"The person on TV yesterday... I think it was Yukiko."

Yu's eyebrows went into his hair. He was only able to see Yukiko's outline, despite knowing it was going to be her. But Chie could recognize her?

Chie called Yukiko's cell and then the inn, finally satisfied to get a hold of her. Yu felt a little guilty, being the only one to grasp the situation fully while his friends floundered. There was a gnawing in his belly, knowing he'd have to let Yukiko be taken to face her Shadow. It was awful, making her suffer her other self, but necessary. Yu couldn't count how many times he would have been wiped out of existence without her help.

With an agreement to head to Junes after school, Yu sat through classes, tapping his pen against his notebook.

After the last bell rang, the three of them made a detour to Souzai for a snack, then headed for the electronics department. Yu did his best to play up the 'still figuring it out' angle as he recounted their second venture into the TV World, though he was quickly shushed by a red-faced Yosuke when he got to the bit about the liquor store and his shadow. It must have still been a sore spot.

With customers milling about for the day's sale, Yosuke suggested they talk to Teddie through the TV. Yu wasn't looking forward to getting bitten again, but stuck his hand through the screen to beckon the bear anyway.

He pulled his palm back with a bite mark. He'd have to get Teddie back for that.

Teddie gave confirmation that the TV World was empty, Chie left to warn Yukiko, and Yu bit his lip. A warning wouldn't help - it was Namatame that would kidnap her, he was pretty sure, and she wouldn't think twice about speaking to a delivery man.

Yosuke tapped him on the shoulder, holding up his orange phone. "Hey," he asked, "What's your cell number? I'll call you tonight when the Midnight Channel is on."

They exchanged numbers. Not like Yu really had to, he still had Yosuke's cell memorizezd.

  
Once home, Yu cooked dinner with Nanako, his cousin shelling the hard boiled eggs as he threw together some vegetables and pork offal. Dojima wasn't home, again, so Yu helped Nanako with her homework as he did his own at the living room table.

Bathed and changed, Yu went back to his room. As he waited for midnight, he took out the spiral notebook from the bottom of his bag and made notes for the day. As far as he could tell, there were very few variants from the last April sixteenth, and though he had yet to see tonight's Midnight Channel, he doubted there would be any drastic changes.

The TV switched on, and Yu dropped his pen to rush to it and watch. Yukiko was there, or rather Princess Yukiko, with her dress and microphone declaring her hunt for a 'hot stud.' Yu snickered, didn't that kind of slang die out once the nineties were over?

Then Yosuked called him, audibly flustered. This was definitely the same, and Yu was only half listening to their conversation as he wrote as much in his notebook.

\-----

It was just past eight when Yu was dressed and heading downstairs the next morning, finding Nanako sitting at the living room table alone with a juice box. Yu hated to leave her behind, even as she insisted she'd be okay.

"Do you have my cell number?" He asked. Nanako shook her head.

Yu went to the bureau where the phone was and found a scrap of paper and a pen, writing _Big Bro_ followed by his phone number. He handed it to Nanako.

"If you need anything, call me. No matter where I am or what time it is, call me and I'll come. Okay?"

She clutched the paper in both of her tiny hands and smiled. "Okay!"

Yu made his way to Junes. It was nice today, sunny and breezy. The warm air of spring was starting to creep in, almost making him shed his jacket. He really did love the air of Inaba, clean and clear, the town often filled with the scent of the nearby mountain forest. He'd take this over the smog and noise of the city any day.

At the food court, Yu bought himself a lime soda and took a seat. It was earlier than their meeting time, but he liked being early. It gave him time to think, to re-center. Yosuke strolled up about ten minutes later, holding both hands behind his back.

Yu's stomach bottomed out. He'd forgotten about this part.

"Yosuke," he said, letting the apprehension show in his voice. "What do you have?"

His best friend grinned. "Well, I figured a golf club wasn't that great of a weapon. So check these out!"

Yosuke pulled the prop swords from behind him and held them up triumphantly. From the corner of his eye, Yu saw a woman at a nearby table start to panic, taking out her cell phone.

_"Yosuke!"_ Yu hissed, sitting up. "Put those away!"

"What?" Yosuke shrugged, gesturing with the nata in his left hand. "They're not real."

Yu stood and took one of Yosuke's wrists, pulling it down and forcing him to lower the faux katana. "They still _look_ real, you can't just wave swords around the food court--"

The crackle of static cut Yu off. Inwardly groaning, he turned to see a uniformed officer speaking into the microphone on his shoulder.

Despite Yu's efforts and Yosuke's flailing, they were arrested. Again.

After being handcuffed, put in a patrol car, patted down, cell phones and wallets confiscated, and they were shoved in a jail cell in the Inaba Police Department for an hour. Yosuke was hunched and withdrawn, proverbial tail between his legs, not loking at Yu for the duration of their inprisonment. Time moved so slowly in the cell that if it wasn't for the watch on his wrist, Yu would have sworn they were in there all day.

They were lectured sternly by Dojima, to which Yosuke insisted up and down that it was his fault, not Yu's.

"I just... wanted to show him something cool," Yosuke said, shuffling his foot.

Dojima sighed, rubbing his temple. "Well, next time, maybe don't bring the prop weapons out in public. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

As Yosuke shrank, two officers strolled by, talking openly about 'the Amagi girl' and how she'd gone missing. Yosuke perked up to listen, and Yu decided he was done with avoiding the subject.

"Did something happen to Yukiko Amagi?" He asked Dojima, who narrowed his eyes.

"That's not your business."

Yu stepped forward. "She's my friend. I want to know if she's in danger."

Dojima looked him up and down, but Yu stood firm. Sighing, his uncle reached into his pocket and retrieved a pack of cigarettes. "Look," he said, his voice low. "When I can tell you, I will. But right now, this is police business. Now _go home."_

Dojima stormed off, muttering to himself. Yosuke looked genuinely surprised at Yu as they walked towards the exit, interrupted by Adachi. It was still just as odd to watch a seasoned officer spill so much information unprompted. No wonder Dojima was short with him.

Chie met them at the entrance to the police station, and the three of headed for to Daidara's for their first round of equipment.

The scent of hot metal and charcoal greeted them long before Daidara emerged from the back, his scarred face and single eye tracking them around the room. Racks of spears and armor lined the walls, and Yu blinked. Were there that many last time?

He was handed five thousand yen by Yosuke, with a wink and a shy "pick something out for me?" It was Yu who had given him the first set of twin blades. They'd just felt _right,_ something about the weight of the metal and the woven leather of their handles that reminded him of Yosuke, the way they shone in the light just seemed to match him somehow. They fit. Yu saw that same pair of knives again, but his attention was quickly drawn away to another, much more expensive set.

The Bloody Kunai with their glistening red handles and dangerously sharp points caught his eye, far more powerful than the Hunting Nata that he'd first bought for his friend. As Yu glanced around the room, he noticed the difference - the selection was much larger, including swords that it had taken him months to acquire on his first time through.

"Something catchin' your eye?" Daidara asked, his voice gruff.

Yu took out his wallet. He had more than enough for the good weapons. "Yes, I think so."

He purchased the Bloody Kunai for Yosuke and a Gardenia Sword for himself - Yosuke sputtered a bit as he took out the stack of bills to pay, but Yu pushed the blades into his hands and hushed him.

"We should be prepared for anything, right?"

With his cheeks flushed red, Yosuke nodded, tucking the kunai into his jacket. They made their way to Junes, hanging around the appliance section until customers cleared out around lunch.

"Everyone ready?" Yu asked as they stood before the flat screen TV. Chie and Yosuke both nodded, and Yu gripped the hilt of his sword as they climbed through the screen.


	7. The Castle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I finally realized how much I bit off with this fic and I'm trying to speed things up. Hopefully that will make it easier to update more often.

Yukiko's castle was very much the same, down to the smell of dust on stone and the cold, dry air. After two rooms Chie took off, running ahead without any glasses, decent equipment, or clues. Yosuke squawked and dashed after her, his feet almost too fast for Yu to keep up.

When they did find Chie - and her other self - Yu could see Yosuke fidgeting out of the corner of his eye, like he wanted to jump in and put a stop to the shadow spewing out their friend's insecurities. But he held his ground, and Chie's shadow transformed. Yu gripped his sword.

The battle went much, much smoother than it had the first time. Possibly because of their new weapons, or that he had more than Izanagi at his disposal. The shadow fell without much effort. Even Yosuke looked surprised, flipping one of his kunai with a satisfied grin.

As Chie accepted Tomoe, a burst of cold shot through the room, enough for Yu to see his breath in a white puff. Yosuke pulled his arms to his chest and shivered as they gathered Chie up and made for the exit. Though she complained the whole time, insisting they go back for Yukiko, Chie didn't have the strength to put up a real fight and let Yu and Yosuke walk her home. He'd need her in fighting condition if they were going to succeed in defeating Yukiko's shadow.

Nanako was finishing the last of her weekend school work when Yu returned home. Dojima was there, for once, reading a day old newspaper and nursing a cup of coffee. His uncle had already ordered dinner, and it seemed to follow Yu in the door, arriving just a few minutes later.

Dojima's face was downcast as they ate, and as the commercials broke, he turned to Yu.

"Hey, mind if I ask you something?" His gaze was piercing. "You're not getting into anything strange, are you?"

Yu swallowed his rice. "No...?"

"You sure?" Dojima leaned in, doubtful. "What happened at the station today is still bothering me. Is there anything you're not telling me?"

Yu wanted to laugh. If his uncle only knew, he'd probably have a heart attack. With a smile Yu reassured him; he didn't want to take undue advantage of his hospitality. Dojima had his flaws and scars, but he was a good man. He was family.

He was halfway up the stairs to finish up his homework when Nanako called him back downstairs, handing him the cordless phone. Yu frowned. He'd never once gotten a call on the house phone. And that's something he remembered, mostly from months of waiting for his parents to call.

Yu took the phone and held it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Ahem! This is Morooka," the voice on the other line spat. Yu blinked several times as his homeroom instructor went on. Did teachers usually call their students at eight on a Sunday night?

It took a few minutes of convincing to get Dojima to let him leave the house. This was definitely new. He never left the house after dark in his first run through the year, except for the few times he'd worked at the hospital (before bailing out on that nightmare of a job). Inaba looked different in the dark, the yellow street lamps lighting up the sidewalks just enough to see. Above him, Yu could see a sky overflowing with stars, so much more than he could ever see in the city. He took his time on his way to the shopping district, enjoying the few crickets that dared to be out this early in the spring.

He found Morooka in front of the gas station, just as he said he would be, arguing with a third year girl who looked utterly terrified. Yu took pity on her and made Morooka focus on him so shecould slip away, waving a thanks as she left. His teacher tossed a package in his hands, wrapped in thin paper with his name and year on the label.

"Here's your school jersey. Now get home!"

Morooka went on grumbling after Yu turned away, whether or not he even noticed the other student had left was a mystery. Looking around the shopping street, Yu only saw a few businessmen milling about. In front of Daidara's, the blue of the Velvet Room door glowed.

Shrugging to himself, Yu went to it. Might as well see if there were any new developments.

Reality shifted as Yu stepped through the door, finding himself sitting in the limousine again. At the other end, Margaret and Igor regarded him, and Yu nodded - then stopped short as he noticed another person in the limo, a bored looking girl sitting beside Igor. He recognized her as the strange girl he met at the train station and shopping district. Yu could have spotted her striped outfit a mile away.

"Welcome," Igor greeted. Yu ignored him and pointed sharply to the girl.

"Who is she?"

The girl looked taken aback, shrugging as she sneered. "Wow. _Rude._ "

"Uh." Yu sputtered, drawing his hand back as his cheeks went hot. "Sorry, I..."

Igor chuckled then, pressing his fingers together. "Oh ho. This young lady is Marie. Do you not remember her?"

Yu shook his head as Marie glanced between them in confusion.

"How interesting," Igor drawled. He went on to explain Marie's role - skill cards, which was also entirely new - he studied Marie's face. No wonder she'd looked so otherworldly when they'd first met. The citizens of the Velvet Room were most certainly not human. They almost had an aura about them, an energy that made Yu's hair stand on end. Marie was no different.

He left the Velvet Room and wandered home, taking the back streets and enjoying the night air. Dojima didn't say much once he returned to the house, busy with putting Nanako to bed. Yu waved the package containing his jersey at his uncle before going up the stairs to do his own homework, making notes about Marie in the journal before turning in. If her introduction was any indication, he was in for more surprises than he thought.

\-----

At lunch the next day, Chie made a show of slamming down her lunch, swearing up and down that she was in perfect shape to rescue Yukiko. But Yu could see the dark circles under her eyes, no matter how much she smiled and talked excitedly about her Persona.

"Hey, how come you didn't have a shadow?" She asked innocently, loading up her chopsticks with more noodles. "Is it because you have nothing to hide?"

Yu coughed, his fried pork lodging itself in his throat for a second. Yosuke patted his back as he swallowed his food awkwardly, his eyes watering. They laughed it off, but not before Yosuke shot him a scrutinizing look.

They dove into the TV after school and made decent progress in Yukiko's Castle, though they were still a couple floors from the top when Yu made the call to head home. Chie was predictably disappointed, but Yosuke was quick to reassure her. At the back lot entrance, Yosuke cast one last round of healing on the himself and Chie, their bruises fading. Despite how much effort he put into summoning Jiraya, Yosuke always seemed to make it look smooth and effortless. Recalling the pain of Izanagi's birth, Yu decided to walk part of the way home with Yosuke and satisfy his curiosity.

"Hey," he asked quietly, squinting against the setting sun. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what's up?" Yosuke was rubbing at his left shoulder like it was sore.

Yu frowned, debating the best way to ask, and decided on a direct approach. "Did it hurt when you first got Jiraya?"

Yosuke's steps faltered a bit and he dropped his arm, eyebrows cinching together. "Er... no? Did it hurt for you?"

Biting the inside of his cheek, Yu nodded. He felt oddly exposed, regretting opening his mouth at all.

"Huh." Yosuke fell back in step with him. "Maybe it's because you didn't face a shadow? 'Cause that _definitely_ hurt, I'll tell you that much."

They were mostly silent for the remainder of their walk, Yu bidding Yosuke goodnight as he detoured down his street.

\-----

Staring at the signup rosters outside the gym, Yu gnawed at his lower lip. He'd joined soccer last time - a natural choice, given that he'd been playing the sport since elementary school. He liked Daisuke, too, he was a good guy that just needed a little push. But looking into the gymnasium, Yu saw Kou and his tiny basketball team. He was fairly certain there weren't even enough players to actually be called a team, just a group of guys wearing Yasogami jerseys and practicing drills.

He had a choice here. He'd always had one. Yu walked into the gym, approached Kou, and introduced himself.

"Great to have you on board," Kou smiled. "Ever played basketball?"

Yu smiled. "Never."

Kou laughed and patted his shoulder. "No problem! We'll get you up to speed."

Daisuke came in to help Kou clean up just as Yu was leaving. At home, his uncle was absent again, leaving him to distract Nanako with magic tricks. After dinner his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a text from Yosuke in his bizarre shorthand.

_> hey man whats up_

Grinning, Yu typed out _'just homework, you?_ ' and sent it. He'd definitely missed long strings of text conversations with Yosuke. During the summer they would last late into the night, jokes and jabs and, rarely, very serious discussions that should have been in person, if it were not for how easily embarrassed Yosuke tended to be.

 _> jst got off wrk_  
_> wanderin around, don wanna go home yet_

Yu chewed his lip. He'd really enjoyed his trip out the other evening, even if it was just to meet with King Moron. And with Dojima working another late night, there wasn't really anyone to stop him from going out again.

"Hey, Nanako," he said, standing. "I'm going to go meet a friend really quick, okay?"

She frowned. "Dad says we shouldn't go out at night."

Nanako was hard to argue with when she pouted like that, but Yu held up his palms. "It's just down the street. I'll be right back. Don't open the door for anyone while I'm gone, alright?"

She nodded, mouth still turned down, and Yu went for his shoes and house key. As he stepped out the door, he flipped open his phone and shot a text to Yosuke.

_> Where are you?_

_> shoppin district, y?_

_> Stay there._

He almost jogged the quarter mile to the shopping district. It was just past sunset, but most of the shops were already closed, the few that were open flooding the dark street with colored light. Yu didn't spot Yosuke until he was past the shrine, his friend standing across the street from the Konishi liquor store with his arms folded, hunched. Yu made a soft noise of disapproval before approaching. It wasn't entirely surprising to find him there.

"Hey!"

Yosuke perked up and uncurled as Yu called for him. "Yo!" He was in casual clothes with his messenger bag, the corner of a Junes apron sticking out of the side. "Nice night, huh? You getting used to Inaba yet?"

Nodding, Yu put a careful two and half feet of distance between himself and Yosuke. They weren't that close yet, he'd yet to be called "partner" or experience this Yosuke's brand of physical affection (which, if he was honest, often toed the line between platonic and not). He'd have to play it safe for now.

"Man, you just got here and you're already at home. I've been here more than six months and I'm still adjusting."

Yu shrugged. "I just try to make the best of things."

"Yeah?" Yosuke rubbed his nose. "Not a bad plan. I've still got packed boxes in my room. I should probably take care of those, huh?"

They laughed and chatted, Yosuke recalling the five hour drive to get to Inaba and how his dad almost refused to let him take a bathroom break halfway through. It was a nice, candid, only just barely beyond small talk as they got to know each other (again).

"It's getting late," Yosuke sighed, looking at his phone. Yu checked his watch and was startled to see nearly forty five minutes had passed since he'd left Nanako alone at home.

"Yeah. I should get going."

Yosuke's eyes brightened for a second, then he twisted and opened his bag. From beneath his rumpled work apron, he fished out a small item packaged in plastic and thrust it towards Yu.

"Here, you can have this. I grabbed it from the break room, but my mom bought a cake yesterday, so I'm good."

Turning the item over in his hands revealed a red bean bun, topped with black sesame seeds underneath the clear cellophane wrapper, stamped with the Junes logo. Yosuke wasn't usually much of a gift giver, not in a literal sense anyway. He was more the type to give his time and attention instead of trinkets, and given his flighty, quickly bored nature, having Yosuke's focus was something of a blessing.

"Thanks," Yu told him. Yosuke beamed at the attention before turning towards the outer road to head home.

"See ya tomorrow!"

Yu walked home with a slight spring in his step. Nanako was getting ready for bed, and though she didn't verbally chide him, he could see it in her face. He read her a story from one of her favorite books as an apology, and afterwards made himself a cup of tea and ate the sweet bun Yosuke gave him. It was a little stale, but not to the point of being unappetizing.

He tucked himself into his futon after making notes for the day. Tomorrow they could probably save Yukiko and add another member to their team. So far, so good.


	8. Golden Week

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is unbeta'd so feedback is welcome!

The battle with Yukiko's Shadow went far smoother than Yu's first encounter.

For starters, they were far more prepared, Yu stopping by Shiroku to stock up on plenty of mouthwash for the silence spells they'd be hit with. He also picked up a Blaze Brooch for Chie to mitigate the fire damage she was weak to, and picked out a few Personas that would give him an edge.

Even so, both he and Yosuke were panting by the end, watching as Yukiko accepted her other self with Chie at her side. Yu felt good knowing he saved her earlier than last time and not leaving her to be tormented by her shadow for longer than strictly necessary. Together they bid Teddie goodbye and helped get Yukiko home, Yu noticing how she refused to let go of Chie's hand.

The next day was Saturday, and Yu almost wished he'd waited one more day to save his friend from the TV World so he could have at least slept in. He drifted in and out during class, and from what he could see in his peripheral, Chie was doing the same. Yosuke was caught snoring once or twice, his head planted firmly in the crease of his textbook. Yukiko would be out of school for several more days if he remembered correctly.

He spent a bit of time after school with Yosuke, eating steak skewers and bitching about homework together. When the gossiping women walked by, Yu made to get out of his seat to tell them off - he was too tired to deal with this again. A hand on his arm stopped him and he looked down at Yosuke's pleading face, his brown eyes wide and his head shaking. Yu sat back down and returned to his steak.

When he walked past the community bulletin board, Yu noticed it was full. Part time jobs were posted , including the envelope and paper crane folding jobs he'd taken last year. They'd helped him considerably back then; his move to Inaba had rattled him more than he let on, and the menial task of folding paper in silence helped calm his nerves. He didn't think he needed it this time around, however, and eyed the others. A crudely written sign asking for a pub dishwasher (since when was there a pub in this town?), as well as the tutoring job he passed up, along with daycare and -

The hospital. Yu grimaced. He'd attempted it and bailed after three or four shifts, scared off by the most certainly haunted hospital and, to a much greater extent, the overly forward nurse. He wasn't sure he even remembered her name.

But it was a social link all the same, and Yu needed the strength. He pulled off a few of the paper tabs and put them in his pocket for later.

\-----

He did sleep in the next day, not bothering with an alarm and not so much as turning over until Nanako knocked on his door for breakfast. Yu at least felt like he'd mostly recovered from fighting his friend's shadow, though bits of the skin on his hands still felt faintly burned.

It was Sunday, and since his phone stayed mercifully silent all morning, Yu went for a walk. Inaba was a beauty in the spring, plum blossoms and freshly planted rice scenting the crisp air. He pondered taking the train to Okina, but changed his mind. He'd rather have the quiet for a while.

After lunch alone on the Junes rooftop - Yosuke was nowhere to be seen - Yu decided to make a stop in the Velvet Room to catch up. He browsed through the compendium with Margaret, pleased to find it was much more organized this time, and fused a couple of missing Personas. Marie was giving him what he could only describe at the stink eye from her seat in the corner as he went to leave.

"Hey," she said. Yu froze and stared at her, his hand still poised on the limousine door handle. "Take me outside."

Yu looked from her face to Igor and Margaret and back. "Um." It was abrupt, but he'd met Marie outside the Velvet Room. She should be fine. Right?

"Sure."

Marie almost bounced out of her seat to join Yu, and they exited, the blue door dumping them both onto the pavement of the shopping district. Marie stretched her arms over her head with a small grunt.

"That's better. It's stuffy in there and I get so stiff." She turned to Yu and crossed her arms. "Let's walk around."

They moseyed along the street, Marie taking the lead as Yu trailed right behind her. She went south first, eyeing the bookstore and Daidara's, before turning back north. Yu's spine was rigid as he followed. Everything thus far had been a repeat with only minor alterations, but Marie was a completely new variable. He watched her movements to try and get a read on her, but she flitted back and forth in unpredictable patterns - and it was making him nervous.

"Steak skewers?" She focused on Souzai, where the smell of food was strong. "Hey, I want one of those."

There was a brief misunderstanding about the price that had the Souzai clerk flustered; buying Marie food wasn't a problem, but the fact that she didn't seem to understand currency at all was perplexing. Yu had to spend money to summon Personas and buy skill cards, didn't he?

Yu panicked a little when Yosuke came by, very suddenly demanding to know who she was. He introduced her as a friend, unsure of what else he could say.

"Friend, huh?" Yosuke smoothed back his bangs and shifted his weight to one foot. "I'm Yosuke Hanamura. I'm his friend - his _partner."_

The sudden shift in Yosuke's tone caught Yu completely off guard, so much so that he didn't protest in the slightest when Yosuke bought the skewers instead of him. He'd almost sounded...

Yu shook his head as they sat at the outdoor table. He shouldn't read into it.

Yosuke kept up most of the conversation. Marie chewed her steak slowly, making a wide range of bizarre expressions as she ate. It almost looked like she was experiencing food for the first time, which, given that she was from the Velvet Room, was entirely possible.

"Whew! I'm stuffed," Yosuke announced. "So Marie, what did you think of the local delicacy?"

Tapping at her plate with the wooden skewers, Marie's nose wrinkled. "It was tough. And it got cold before I could finish it." But then she smiled, a tiny barely-there smile that Yu would have missed if he wasn't laser focused on observing her. "It was delicious."

They left the stand after Yosuke scurried off. Marie demanded to be taken somewhere else, So they left the shopping district and walked the streets. Yu discovered quickly that if he took his eyes off her for even a moment, Marie would suddenly be half a mile away, wandering on her own. Eventually they found themselves at the hill overlooking town. Marie was voicing her observations with child-like wonder, as if she'd never seen the outside world.

Yu bit his lip. She may not have.

"I want to see more," She said to him. "Will you take me out again sometime?"

He had no idea what to make of Marie, if he was honest. But she seemed nice, and was connected to Igor, who had only ever helped him. Yu nodded and smiled.

"Of course."

Time froze, and a chill ran down Yu's spine. He felt a crackle of energy, warmth, and saw a vision of an Arcana he'd never seen. Aeon. He felt the words more than heard them as they settled into his heart.

Yu took Marie back to the Velvet Room and then went home. In the entry of the Dojima house he lingered, touching a hand to his chest. He could feel Marie there, along with Chie and Yosuke. It was nice.

Dojima was home, reading the newspaper but only looking like he was halfway paying attention as he sipped at a mug of coffee. It was still too early to start making dinner, so Yu poured himself a glass of juice from the fridge and sat at the table.

"Oh, hi." Dojima lowered his newspaper and folded it. "Enjoying Inaba so far?"

"Yes," Yu answered. He could see his uncle fidgeting, visibly uncomfortable.

"That's good. Um. So... how's school?"

Yu almost wanted to smile as Dojima awkwardly stumbled through trying to get to know him. He remembered being scared of his uncle the first time around, taking extra care with his words and minding his manners to an almost obsessive degree. But he knew this man, at least mostly, and was able to keep up a light back-and-forth that seemed to put Dojima a least a bit at ease.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do, but..." Dojima scowled. "Whenever there's an incident, you're there."

The conversation became an interrogation, but Yu stood his ground. He couldn't really blame Dojima for connecting the dots; it was his job, and even though he didn't realize it, the detective was right. Yu was connected to the crimes, even if it wasn't in as sinister a way as it appeared.

Nanako swooped in to Yu's rescue, and Yu did smile then. She was just as headstrong as her father, really. Dojima shooed her off to bed, then turned back to Yu with a tired sigh.

"You know I'm just trying to keep you safe, right?"

"Yes, uncle."

Time froze again as Yu was presented with the Heirophant Arcana, Dojima's symbol, settling itself into his soul with the others. Beginning two social links in one day left his skin buzzing in a way that made him faintly giddy, the feeling continuing all through dinner and even as he settled down to sleep for the night.

\-----

The door of the music room was just down the hall from him, polished wood that stood out against the worn walls of the practice building. Yu could hear the band tuning up, squeaks and squawks of various instruments squeezing through the cracks and filling the hall. Ayane would be in there, holding her massive trombone in her tiny trembling hands. She was a sweet girl and Yu wanted to be there for her again, but...

The door to the drama club was in the other direction, a handwritten sign hung crooked on the door with clear tape. He'd never even considered the other option, so shy and withdrawn at the time that an acting club sounded like a nightmare.

But he wasn't the same person he was then. Yu took a breath and slid open the drama club door.

A small group of students looked up as he walked in. They were from all three years by the look of it, each holding a sheet of paper. A tall girl with a short bob of jet black hair approached him, holding out a sheet.

"Hi!" She greeted. "Welcome to Drama Club! Do you want to join?"

Yu took the sheet and glanced over it. It was a list of dates accompanied by titles of what he assumed were plays. He recognized a few of them.

"Yes," he answered.

\-----

On Tuesday, Yosuke grabbed his arm and proclaimed they were heading to the city. Yu smiled and let himself be led. Upon their arrival in Okina, Yosuke seemed to come alive with an energy that was dulled only by the spam in his email inbox.

"You should just change it," Yu told him. Yosuke shook his head.

"Nah, that would be a pain. I'd have to message everyone about it, and that would be awkward since we haven't talked in forever - "

"Exactly," Yu persisted. "If they haven't messaged youby now, then they probably aren't going to." The way Yosuke's face fell broke his heart a little. He stared at his orange phone, frowning. "Sorry," Yu said. "That was harsh."

With a long sigh, Yosuke closed and pocketed his phone. "No, you're right. I guess I just didn't want to admit that they weren't really friends in the first place."

Yu patted his shoulder and smiled when Yosuke met his eyes. "Their loss."

"Yeah?" Yosuke scratched at the back of his neck. "Thanks, partner."

\-----

It only took a half hour of Drama Club for Yu to be confident in his decision.

Drama was fun in a way that band wasn't. He loved the trumpet, but there was an energy here, most of it emanating from Yumi Ozawa. She seemed to run the show, either by natural talent or learned skill, he couldn't be sure. But her enthusiasm was infectious and Yu found himself reading lines from classes theater in voices he didn't know he could produce.

He could never have handled this the first time around.

Yu was only a little surprised to find that Yumi was the holder of the Sun Arcana, one that had previously been Ayane's. It was the choice, he concluded. He took one path instead of the other, and reality seemed to shift to accommodate. It made him a bit uneasy, remembering Igor's warnings about the dangers of knowing the outcome.

After the club disbanded for the day, Yu took a loop and swung back by the music room. Peeking inside, he saw tiny Ayane, struggling to stack the chairs by herself.

"Need some help?"

She jumped, and the chair she was holding clattered to the floor. Yu immediately went to pick it up, adding it to the stack in the corner. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh. I-it's okay, um," she tilted her head to see the left side of his collar. "Senpai."

"Yu."

She blinked, and blushed. "Um. Ayane Matsunaga."

Ayane protested, but Yu still helped her clean up the room, her cheeks glowing as she stuttered out a thanks. The Sun Arcana might have belonged to Yumi in this reality, but there wasn't really anything stopping him from befriending Ayane and helping her, too.

(And Daisuke, for that matter.)

Dojima was home, reading another newspaper on the couch. He was a bit old fashioned in that way, no personal computer and only a bare-bones cell phone. Yu joined Nanako for an episode of the quiz show, sending subtle hints her way when she got stuck.

The loud, deliberate shuffling of newspaper made them both look up as a set of commercials began. Dojima didn't look up as he spoke.

"...I think I can get the fourth and the fifth off."

Nanako sprang from her cushion. "Really?" She paused, and then her expression fell. "...Really?"

"What," Dojima laughed. "You don't believe me?"

 _She shouldn't,_ Yu thought bitterly. He knew his uncle would cancel for some reason or another. Whatever it was, it was just another excuse, something to keep him from having to face the reality of his family. Dojima needed help to work through his issues and be a better father, and Yu resolved to make that happen faster than last time.

He also began formulating plans for Golden Week. Nanako would be devastated, and he was going to make sure it was full of joy to help her forget.

It took Yu almost an hour to record the day's notes before he went to sleep. He was already starting to feel overwhelmed, and it wasn't even May yet. But he had to keep it together. There were lives at stake, lives of those he loved. There wasn't much room for error.

He turned off the light and curled under his blanket, tossing and turning all night.

\-----

On the last day of April, Yukiko returned to school. She still looked a bit too thin, but the color had returned to her face.

After school they convened on the roof to discuss the case. Yukiko still didn't remember anything about her attacker - Yu knew that it was Namatame in his delivery truck, but if he let on as much, it could fall apart in ways he wasn't prepared for. Stopping Namatame could only serve to inspire the real killer to strike again, and potentially in a more deadly way.

As they formulated their theories, Yu took a chance and suggested the connection was the TV. They gaped at him for a minute; thus far the victims had all been women with some connection to Mayumi Yamano. Yosuke played with his headphone cord as he put the pieces together.

"So we need to keep an eye on the TV, then," he concluded. Yu nodded.

Chie and Yukiko agreed, and began opening the bowls of instant ramen they'd brought to the roof. Yu could see Yosuke's mouth watering, but this time he stopped him before they both ended up devouring their friend's lunches.

In the TV World, Yukiko received her glasses, bursting into giggles at the gag frames Teddie made. Chie seemed even more exasperated than usual at this, so Yu took the glasses and put them on himself. After a moment of shock, small, quiet laughter began, which dissolved into roaring laughter from the whole group. Yosuke wiped tears from the corners of his eyes as Yu leaned into him.

\-----

Yu tied his apron into a neat bow on his back as the daycare director went over his duties. It was simple enough, just supervise the children as they played and perform routine headcounts to make sure no one had wandered off. He'd avoided this job last time - not because he disliked children, he quite liked them, but because he simply lacked the confidence to properly handle them.

He wasn't entirely ready for how he was pulled in all directions, quite literally, by the daycare's dozen or so children. Endless shouts and shrieks of "hey mister!" rang out on the hill. By the end of the two and a half hours, Yu was exhausted enough to revise his dinner plans so they centered less around cooking and more around takeout.

"Yuu! It's time to go home!"

The voice was one he didn't recognize, and Yu turned to see a woman in designer clothes standing near the road. He'd never seen her before.

"I don't want to!"

Nearby, a young boy shouted at the woman, then ran off to hide behind a tree.

"Yuuta," the woman called out. "Please. You can't stay here all day."

It wasn't until Yu was turning in his apron that he learned more about the woman and the boy. Stepmother and stepson who didn't get along terribly well. Yu had a feeling about them, and signed up for more shifts.

\-----

Dojima canceled the next day.

Yu took the phone from Nanako as she ran to her room and slammed the door. His uncle at least had the decency to sound sorry about it. And Yu knew he was, but it didn't make the situation less frustrating.

"Can't anyone else take the case?" Yu asked. "Someone who didn't make a promise to their daughter?"

There was a grunt on the other end of the line, then a squeak of a chair. "Don't... I tried, alright? We're already stretched thin here. Can you just... take care of Nanako for me?"

Yu suppressed a sigh. "Of course."

He hung up the phone and put it back in its cradle. Nanako was still holed up in her room, so Yu decided to implement Golden Week Plan number one.

After he had all the ingredients out - sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and a stash of white chocolate he'd bought in secret - Yu went and tapped on his cousin's door. "Nanako?"

There was some shuffling from the other side, then Nanako opened the door and peered up at him. She looked heartbroken. "What?"

"I'm making some cookies," he said, bending down. "Do you want to help me?"

Her eyes brightened immediately, the door swinging open the rest of the way. "Cookies?"

Yu put the TV on a game show while Nanako sifted flour and measured out the sugar. He kept up the conversation to make sure her mind didn't stray to her father, asking about school, friends, books, and trivia. They molded the cookies into little lopsided balls stuffed full of white chocolate chunks, and after they went into the oven, they took in the quiz show together over glasses of juice.

The plan worked splendidly, Nanako dunking her fresh baked cookies in milk. By the time Yu was reading her a story from her favorite book, she seemed to have forgotten her sadness entirely. He tucked her in, cleaned up the kitchen, and retired to his own room.

Chie arrived the next morning, just like Yu was expecting. Nanako was thrilled to be going to Junes, skipping halfway there as she held on to Yu's hand. They met with Yosuke and Yukiko in the food court, and laughed about school over sodas.

Hearing the same conversations again was a little odd, especially Yosuke's candid 'good with your hands' comment. Yu nodded and winked at him, which made Yosuke flush deep red and become very interested in finishing his drink. Thinking back, it was probably that moment when it hit him, when he started to notice Yosuke in a different light. _It's his fault,_ Yu thought. _He put the idea in my head first._

They ordered lunch and Yu spared no expense for Nanako, buying her salisbury steak, takoyaki, and pudding. Once she finished that, he topped it all off with a cone of soft serve ice cream, to which she squealed in delight.

"You're gonna spoil her," Yosuke said, though the words were lighthearted.

"She deserves it," Yu answered, keeping his voice down.

At a table with Yukiko and Chie, Nanako waved them over. "Big Bro! Can we go to the park?"

He couldn't help but oblige her. Chie and Yukiko joined them for a round of butterfly chasing, Chie keeping her distance from the insects. After they got home, Yu made a chicken and pork curry, and let Nanako fall asleep in the living room and put her to bed. Dojima didn't come home that night, but it didn't matter. They still had two days left.

The next day was Nature Day, and Yu got a call from Yosuke fairly early. They ventured to Junes once again, and this time Nanako dragged Yu all through the appliance departments to look at the gadgets there. He lifted her up so she could see down into the basin of a fancy, high tech washing machine, where colored balls danced in the water to show how it worked.

They met up with Kou and Daisuke in the electronics department, and once Nanako had her fill of Junes, they went for lunch at Aiya's, and then home to watch a rented movie and eat more of the cookies they baked. Nanako never stopped smiling through it all, and Yu could hear her singing to herself in the bath as he did the dishes.

On Children's Day, Yu made a slight detour to the shrine. He almost forgot about the Fox, waiting at the shrine with emas to fulfill. This part would be easy enough. The beginning of the Hermit social link made his chest tingle as the fox danced around him happily.

It was barely noon when he got back to the house, and it was time for the final phase of Golden Week: a picnic. Yu pulled out the boxed lunches he'd made the night before, after Nanako had gone to bed, and told her to put on her shoes.

Yu held her hand as they walked out past the neighborhoods, past the rice fields and farm houses, to a small clearing overlooking the Samegawa river. It was quiet here, only birds and the gentle flowing of water accompanied by the breeze. They ate lunch, salt grilled fish with spring vegetables and rice, with oranges arranged in flower patterns. Nanako complimented the food endlessly. Yu broke out the last surprise, mochi cakes with fresh strawberry in the middle.

As he packed up their things to return home, Nanako gave him a hug. It was so unexpected that Yu almost dropped the bento boxes he was holding, carefully putting a hand to her back and return the gesture.

Dojima came home not long after they did, with his Junes bags of hastily picked out gifts. Nanako told him all about the day they'd had, and the two days before. Dojima listened, his eyebrows raised high.

Before Yu went to bed, his uncle tapped his shoulder. "Hey," he said, his voice hushed. "Thanks for giving her a fun week."

Yu nodded. He was tempted to chide Dojima, but thought better of it. "Sure."

Bath taken and notes made, Yu went to sleep satisfied with his choices. There was still a long way to go.


	9. The Bathhouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moving a little faster now. I'm looking forward to the next parts, where Yu is going to start doing a few things differently. Thanks for reading!
> 
> edit: added midterms. Not sure how I forgot them, but they're in there now.

The next morning, Yu was walking to school with a spring in his step. The morning air was still crisp and cool, no summer heat just yet, carrying the scent of the mountains and the river beside him. A bell caught Yu's attention as Yosuke rode up on his bike, disembarking to walk alongside him. They chatted about Yukiko's return as other students rushed past them towards Yasogami.

"Hey," Yosuke rubbed at the back of his neck. "I was wondering something. Uh, Chie and Yukiko seem really close now, right? So, like, are you..." His cheeks went pink, and Yosuke shook his head. "Nevermind. We should get going before we're late."

Yu stopped walking and turned to face him. He remembered that line, Yosuke's unfinished remark haunting him for the next month. "What was that?"

Yosuke's eyes went wide, then he focused heavily on the strap of his messenger bag. "It's nothing, man."

He wanted to press, but he could see the way Yosuke's shoulders were hunching. Any further and he would most likely get defensive and close himself off. It would be best to let it go, at least for now.

On his way home, Yu stopped in the bookstore and bought a proper journal, with a leather cover and a strap closure. His notes about daily events were too precious to keep in a spare spiral notebook. It took more than an hour to copy all the events over, but once it was done, he felt better about his chances.

\-----

Of all the things Yu remembered about Inaba, it was the lack of any real storms. It rained a fair amount, but it was always a quiet rain, no thunder or lightning to accompany it. It would make him sigh whenever the drizzle began, making him miss the energy in the air the lightning would bring. He supposed it corresponded with Izanagi's power, the element he was still most comfortable with.

Yu _loved_ storms, and when he heard the rumble of thunder from outside the classroom window he perked up immediately, his fatigue dissipating. He made a note about it in his journal that night, after coffee with Dojima.

\-----

He was halfway through helping Nanako fold paper flowers for Mother's Day when he remembered midterms were starting the next day. How he could forget was a total mystery, and Yu quickly texted Yosuke to ask if he wanted to study - Yu would be fine, but his friend's grades had always been a little on the low side. Yosuke's pitiful whine somehow came through the texts, even as he agreed to come over.

Four hours later, Yu's work table was covered in empty soda cans and bags of chips, snack wrappers and crumpled sheets of paper on the floor. With books and notebooks open, he'd made Yosuke review every subject until he felt like Yosuke was actually absorbing the information.

"Oh my god," Yosuke scrubbed at his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Can we please take a break? My brain is leaking out my ears."

"Alright," Yu leaned back and glanced at his watch. "It's getting late anyway."

Yosuke flopped onto the floor, letting his head thump against the rug with a noisy breath. Yu started gathing up the remains of their snacks and closing books while his poor friend rubbed at his temples. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah" came the muffled reply. Yosuke made a show of sitting up to put his own books back in his bag. "Just hate tests. I bombed the finals pretty hardcore."

"Oh?"

Rubbing at his shoulder, Yosuke nodded. "I'd moved here halfway through the year, so half the material on the test was stuff I'd never heard. So yeah, failed it, big time. They let me move on to second year, but..." He shrugged. "I kinda got branded the dumb kid after that." He looked up at Yu with sadness in his eyes and a lopsided smile. "Just one more thing on the pile, huh?"

Yu blinked. He'd never learned that about Yosuke, not in all their study sessions. He reached over the table to pat at his shoulder. "Well, you'll just have to prove them wrong."

Yosuke laughed and shook his head. "If this is what your study sessions are like, that might actually be possible."

\-----

Midterms were, of course, a breeze. Yu had already taken these tests once before, and this time, he didn't miss the question about Pythagoras. He could hear Yosuke's pencil scratching on the paper behind him, and even though they all left school wrung out and slumped, Yosuke seemed to be in higher spirits than before.

\-----

The week sped by, Yu's schedule packed. He was lucky if he had a few spare minutes to himself each day, spending more time in a locked bathroom stall than strictly necessary. He needed to keep his head. It all felt so fragile, like the world around him would unravel if he lost focus for even a second.

Daycare was exhausting, but he gained some insight on Eri, the holder of Temperance, and her estranged stepson. Ai was introduced at basketball practice, her aloof comments the same as the first time around. He'd slipped up and broken her link quickly, he'd have to tread carefully with this Ai. Basketball practice, homework, Nanako. Yu didn't go to sleep every night so much as he outright crashed into his futon.

At the end of the week, he decided to make lunch. Nanako had purchased some skip jack tuna filets, and he set about grilling them. Yosuke had adored his fish last time around, asking Yu to make it several times. He put a bit of flourish into the meal, arranging the filets in his bento box in a woven pattern.

The next day, Yu turned in his chair to face Yosuke at the afternoon bell. "Hey," he greeted. "I brought a big lunch. Want to eat with me?"

Yosuke's eyes lit up. "Oh man, seriously? Hell yeah!" He stood from his chair and grabbed his bag. "What'd ya make, partner?"

Yu triumphantly pulled out the bento box and opened the lid. "Just some fish, I thought-"

He stopped short as he took stock of Yosuke's face, his scrunched nose and frown. He was leaning back, away from the bento in Yu's hand.

"Er, sorry, partner," Yosuke took a step back. "But I can't do fish."

Dumbstruck, Yu just stood there, bento in hand. He blinked a few times, then looked down at his painstakingly prepared meal. He'd fed the other Yosuke so much fish - even ones he'd caught himself. Salmon croquettes, fish curry. Discovering this Yosuke would turn down what Yu considered some of his best recipes was unexpected and mildly alarming.

"...Oh."

"Sorry," Yosuke said again, and Yu looked up to see him fiddling with the cord of his headphones, looking guilty. "I should have said something."

Yu snapped back to himself, closing the lid of the bento and forcing a smile. "It's okay. I'll... keep that in mind for next time."

Yosuke apologized again and left the classroom. Yu went to the roof and ate alone, only able to stomach about half of the food before putting it down. The rest of it would go to waste. It was easily some of the best fish he'd ever made, too.

After dinner that night, Kanji's poorly obscured face appeared on the news, shouting and cursing at the camera man. Since Yu had already suggested the TV connection, he sent a text to Yosuke about it. The faster everyone caught on, the easier it would be, even if they couldn't actually prevent anyone from falling into the TV in the first place.

His stomach turned. He _could_ stop it, he knew he could. But he didn't think he could afford to preemptively lose any teammates.

\-----

Two days later, Kanji appeared on the Midnight Channel again, his image almost entirely clear. Yosuke called him this time, confirming that Kanji hadn't been at school that day. Yosuke's tone was restless, a nervous uptick in his voice that told Yu he wasn't entirely at ease.

"Hey, as long as you're on the line, mind if I ask you something?"

Yu switched the phone to his other ear. "Sure."

There was a rustle of fabric on Yosuke's end. "What do you think about Yukiko and Chie? I mean, let's not mince words. Which one's your type?"

Oh, right. _This._ He'd been flustered the first time, not really able to answer. At least now Yu understood why - he didn't really have a type before he came to Inaba. He'd never had time to think about things like that in his old life. A part of him was sorely tempted to tell Yosuke the truth, that his type was friendly, talkative, outgoing people who loved music, but he held his tongue and settled for answering that neither of the girls struck his fancy. He'd scared Yosuke off once before. It was too soon to risk it again, if ever.

Yosuke seemed satisfied with this answer and bid him goodnight. Yu closed his phone and sighed, rolling his neck. He was overwhelmed already.

\-----

They decided to go see Kanji the next day at Tatsumi Textiles. Yu rather liked the traditional old shop, with racks of silk brocades and sashes. There was a quiet here.

Kanji was outside speaking with Naoto as expected. But this time, instead of keeping a cautious distance, Yu boldly approached him. He didn't make much headway; Kanji was too flustered from speaking with Naoto to do anything other than tell them off and hole up in his house. Yu couldn't entirely blame him - Kanji's troubles ran deep.

The 'steak out' was attempted the following afternoon, and Yosuke left with Chie to pursue Kanji. Yu was left with Yukiko again, although he suggested a different arrangement. The choice he made didn't seem to affect the outcome here, oddly enough. He was still glad to have Yukiko's Social Link, even if it meant he was to be the guinea pig for her cooking experiments. Her presence in his heart was warm and kind.

Kanji was unwilling to listen, again, even as Yu tried the gentle approach. He slammed the door in their faces, still wailing curses from inside. They went home dejected, or at least most of them. Yu chewed a raw spot in his lower lip as he waited for Kanji's shadow to show up on the Midnight Channel that night. He just wanted to get in, save him, and move on. He had too many other things to take care of to spend a straight week in the bathhouse again.

Yu made his daily notes and tried to sleep, but it was hours before he drifted off.

\-----

They were able to enter the Bathhouse right away. Last time they'd wasted almost two days just searching for info on Kanji to help Teddie sniff him out, but this time, Yu was prepared. He bullshitted his way through an explanation of Kanji's 'complex' based on what they'd seen of him so far, and somehow managed to fool everyone. Maybe drama class was helping.

Yosuke was, predictably, freaking out, even though he looked like he was trying to hide it. It twisted Yu's heart a little, but he shook his head at his friend and assured him that Kanji was probably even more upset than any of them. It made Yosuke go quiet, Chie rolling her eyes at him.

They made it about four floors in before Yu declared they'd had enough. The back of his shirt was soaked with sweat, his glasses fogged and head pounding. His teammates were in a similar state as they regrouped in the back lot, agreeing to bring changes of clothing and drinks next time to offset the steam.

 

The midterm results were posted on Thursday. Yu almost had to drag Yosuke to the board to see, his friend grimacing. _Narukami_ sat proudly on the top with Yukiko right below him, and in the middle, _Hanamura_ and _Satonaka_ sat. Yukiko clapped for Chie as Yosuke stared at the sheet with a dumbfounded expression.

"I was so sure I was gonna fail again," he muttered. Yu put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"But you didn't."

Yosuke rubbed his nose and blushed, then congratulated Yu on his success with rough pat on his back.

After school, Yu was heading towards Junes with a bag of clothing when he spied Adachi in the department store lobby, slouched against a window and looking bored. He didn't remember seeing Adachi that much in his first time around, usually only appearing to recklessly run his mouth and then be reprimanded by Dojima for it.

He approached Adachi, who straightened up a bit. "Oh hey. What are you up to? Killing time?"

Their conversation was awkward at best, but Yu got a sense for the man that he hadn't before. There was dissatisfaction, frustration, and defeat there, tucked beneath the clumsy officer shtick. Adachi being bored of the small town wasn't really a surprise, he already knew that much about him, but there was something else hiding. Something Yu couldn't name just yet.

With a crackle, reality ground to a halt. An Arcana materialized before Yu's eyes, a dancing shadow with the number zero emblazoned on the card. He would have blinked if he wasn't frozen in place. The Jester...?

Adachi gave him a look once time resumed. "Hey, you okay?"

Shaking himself out of his daze, Yu nodded. "Yes, I just have to go meet with my friends."

Waving him off, Adachi checked his phone. "Well, enjoy your fun time. You'll be an adult before you know it."

Yu went quickly into the TV World and made a beeline for the Velvet Room door, where he sat before Igor, Margaret, and Marie. Adachi's link had set off more than one alarm in his head.

"Igor. I met someone who also holds the Fool Arcana." Yu told Igor as he stared at his hands. "How is that possible?"

Igor was dealing tarot cards onto the little table in front of him, each one face down. "Oh ho ho. How fascinating." He turned a card. "The Nine of Swords reversed. Suspicion and doubt. Does this discovery concern you?"

"...Yes."

Igor folded his hands. "The Fool Arcana is rare and special, yes. However, it is not singular - though this is unexpected." He tapped his fingers on his knuckles. "There are many stories here. This is not your journey alone."

He thought of his friends, of Nanako, of Yosuke. Of the friends he'd yet to meet. They had their lives, their own stories, and Yu's decisions could alter them. He sighed and rubbed at his eyes, feeling the burden like a physical weight on his shoulders. He couldn't afford mistakes, not with their lives hanging on his choices. "What should I do?"

Reclining, Igor waved a hand, and the Nine of Swords floated towards Yu. "As I have said before, I cannot tell you how to proceed. You must make that decision."

Yu took the card in his hand, and stared at it as he left the limo. Once in the back lot, he saw his team pulling out their spare clothes, Chie arguing with Teddie about making them a changing area. Yosuke caught his eye, a tee shirt in his hand.

"...You okay?"

Glancing at his hand, the Nine of Swords had vanished, leaving Yu holding on to thin air. He dropped his arm and went to join the group. "Yeah, I'm good."

He was uneasy, but he could figure it out after Kanji was safe. Yu changed into an old pair of jeans while the girl's backs were turned and readied his sword.

\-----

They made it to the top of the Bathhouse, but by then, they were all tired, hot, and irritable. Yu made the call to finish it another day, remembering that Kanji's shadow wouldn't be alone for that fight. They'd need all their strength for it.

He scrubbed himself raw in the bath that night, too preoccupied to notice his skin turning red under the washcloth. There were now two whole Arcanas that didn't exist last time, and, as far as he knew, weren't part of a normal tarot deck. Or maybe they were? He would have to do some research on that, provided he could find more than a few minutes between everything else demanding his attention.

Yu put on his best big brother smile and spent time with Nanako before putting her to bed. He was up late doing the homework he'd been neglecting, tiredly scrawling out the same answers he'd already given once before. If there was any aspect of this whole reliving thing he wished he could skip, it was the busywork.

\-----

Yu awoke to light streaming through his blinds, much brighter than it should have been. Yawning, he rolled over and reached for his phone. The screen read half past nine.

"Dammit," he groaned, rolling to sit up.

It was Sunday, so he didn't have any particular obligations, but time was so precious now, already closing in on June. He dressed himself and gathered up his dirty laundry to haul it down to the washer. Nanako was sitting in the living room with a juice box, watching TV. Dojima was out, as usual.

After he'd started a load in the washer and brushed his teeth, Yu went back to the kitchen to find a cup of tea with a plate of toast and jam. Nanako stood proudly by the chair.

"Dad said you looked tired and that I should let you sleep in," she explained, pulling out a chair.

Smiling, Yu sat and ate slowly. It still amazed him what a considerate girl Nanako was, even with her father's absence and the loss of her mother. Then his thoughts ventured to his own mother, the grey hair and eyes he'd inherited. He'd helped Nanako make paper flowers for mother's day last week, something he didn't remember doing for his own. _A man is steadfast and true,_ she would tell him, small words spliced in-between the silence. It was one of his strongest memories of her, but at this point they were blurring. Yu had not seen his mother's face or heard her voice in more than a year. No phone calls, no emails. Just silence. He wondered if she actually existed anymore. Or ever at all.

"Big Bro?"

Yu stopped mid-chew, his thoughts popping like a soap bubble. Nanako stood near the kitchen table, holding a little potted plant in her hands.

"We got these plants at school, and the teacher told us to plant them wherever we want, but..."

She looked crestfallen, frowning at the seedling she held. Yu wiped his mouth and sipped his tea, then stood and smiled.

"Let's see if we can't find a home for it."

The tiny yard outside the back door wasn't really ideal. Nanako informed him that the plant was a tomato and needed lots of sun, and the only place it would get that was right under the laundry poles. So that was a no go. There was that small patch of earth between the house and the neighbors, looking unkempt and slightly muddy. It was perfect.

An hour later, Yu had dirt under his fingernails and stains on his knees, but the little garden was complete. A bit helter-skelter, having just enough loose bricks to make a border and barely enough room for a few plants, but it was charming nonetheless. Nanako sang to herself as she painted a sign for the garden.

"There!" Nanako admired her handiwork. "Now the plant has a home. Big Bro, can we get some more plants to grow?"

He wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve. "Sure."

After a bath and a change of clothes, Yu brought his homework down to the living room table and spent the rest of the day with Nanako. He got texts from Chie and Yosuke asking if they were going into the TV today, but Yu turned them down. Nanako was one of his few sources of peace in this rolling chaos, and he needed it.

\-----

They went back to the Bathhouse for the final showdown with Kanji's shadow on Tuesday. It was still unsettling; not because of the loin cloth or advances, but because of the hurt, the wounds that Yu could see plainly now. Kanji's shadow was so sad and lonely, enough to lash out and indulge in extremes. And Yosuke was aboslutely not helping.

"Whoa dude, I really don't swing that way!" He cried, his voice cracking. Yu whipped his head to the side to glare at him.

"This isn't about you!" he hissed. It made Yosuke's jaw snap shut with a click, his eyes darting to the floor.

Kanji's shadow had always seemed so much crueler than the others. Conflict with society's expectations was something Yu understood better than he'd like to admit - Be this, do that, even if it's not you. But he'd been raised to keep his head down and his mouth shut. It made Yu's heart ache, and he put a hand on the real Kanji's shoulder. "Hey, it's alright-"

He was shoved away, Kanji swinging an arm at him with tears in his eyes. "Get off! The hell do you know?" He snarled at his other self. "That _thing_ ain't me!"

And it all went to hell.

Thankfully Yu was prepared this time, bringing plenty of cures for poison and rage. With both Chie and Yukiko, they could easily take down the two shadows that flanked them. Kanji's shadow was relentless, fighting viciously and without pause. He caught Yu off guard once, Yosuke slamming into his shoulder to shove him aside and take the hit.

The Shadow fell, and Yu saw Yosuke drop to one knee, gulping for air. Yukiko went to his side as Kanji accepted his other self, Yu catching him as he fell backwards, exhausted.

Yosuke led the charge in getting Kanji back to the textile shop, and Yu volunteered to help. It did take both of them, Kanji was taller and heavier, and even with an arm around each of their shoulders he seemed to struggle to walk.

"S'alright, man," Yosuke told him once they entered the shopping district. "Hang in there, almost home."

Once they'd safely deposited the nearly unconscious Kanji in his house, Yosuke went quiet, holding one of his elbows with clenched fingers.

"Are you hurt?" Yu asked him. Yosuke shook his head, not looking up.

It wasn't hard to figure out what was eating him. Kanji and Yosuke's insecurities had a very similar source - rejection, isolation, loneliness - despite the drastic differences in their manifestations. They both tended to lash out, even if Yosuke's means were more subtle and underhanded.

"Hey," Yu nudged his arm. "Sorry for snapping at you back there."

Yosuke looked up at him. "What do - oh. That." His eyes went back to the pavement. "S'okay. I deserved it." He stopped walking, standing halfway on the sidewalk and halfway on the street next to a dingy vending machine. The sun was setting and it lit him gold from one side, the florescent lights casting a blue glow on the other. "It's just..."

Yosuke opened his mouth and closed it several times, his jaw working, but he couldn't seem to get a sound out. Yu could see his discomfort in the line of his body, scrunched and small, trying to force out words that he probably wasn't ready for yet.

"It's okay," Yu gave his shoulder a squeeze. "You can tell me another time."

He felt the muscle under his palm relax and uncoil, Yosuke exhaling with a nod. Yu saw him home in silence, then returned to the Dojima house, where his uncle warned him not to get in over his head.

If he'd had the energy, he would have laughed.


	10. June

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is unbeta'd, mostly because I just wanted to get it updated and not leave it hanging. Feedback is welcome! Also, there has been a correction made to chapter nine. I somehow managed to leave out midterms. Whoops.

Yu awoke bleary eyed the next morning, his head throbbing and his limbs heavy. He wasn't surprised after they beating they'd all taken in Kanji's Bathhouse, and he was fairly certain he'd gone to sleep with a mild fever. He stumbled his way through putting on a mostly clean uniform, then went downstairs to wash his face. His eyes were bloodshot and tired, so he skipped his contacts and took out a pair of frameless glasses, slipping them over his nose.

The first hints of summer were starting to creep into the air, warm moisture on the breeze that made his jacket feel too heavy. Yosuke caught up with him next to the Samegawa. "Yo, partner, what's -" He stopped short, eyebrows creeping up towards his hairline. "Glasses?"

Adjusting the frames, Yu nodded. "I usually wear contacts."

"Whoa." Yosuke was scrutinizing his face. "They suit you, Partner. Make you look really mature."

Yu blushed a little at the compliment as Yosuke lept straight into a monologue about a TV show he'd watched the night before, barely managing to wrap up his story as they sat down for morning classes.

\-----

Ai was staring at him from the school entrance, hand on her hip and a scowl on her lips. She had one eyebrow cocked up as she took an expensive looking pair of loafers from her shoe locker.

"Well? Are you coming or not?"

"...Sure."

It had taken him a month to work up the nerve to skip class with Ai the first time, but after everything he'd been through, Yu was feeling pretty fearless, at least enough to ditch school. Ai was easy enough to please on their first outing, but it was the second or third time that he would have to choose his words carefully.

He made it back to school before the final bell, then went to the roof to find Chie playing with her phone and invited her out. Her social link activities were genuinely enjoyable, training on the riverbank, dodging kicks and spins. Chie was panting for air when they were done, wiping sweat from her temple with a grin.

"Man, you're really good!" She beamed. "I'm gonna have to train hard to keep up with you, you're almost untouchable."

"I don't know about that," Yu answered.

\-----

The next week went as smoothly as it could have, nearly every minute of Yu's time taken up with social links, basketball practice, drama club, and Nanako. Basketball was proving a bit of a challenge, but in a way that he enjoyed. It was more physically demanding than he remembered soccer ever being, but it also helped clear his head. Yukiko's food was as horrifically inedible as it was before, and Yu still had no idea how she managed it. It looked like all the proper ingredients were present, so where she was going wrong was beyond him.

He snuck out at night and spent time with Yosuke and Yukiko, chatting about school over sodas and snacks. His friends had developed an interesting habit of giving him gifts, usually of candy or packaged food. Yu couldn't say he minded it.

Yosuke came over to his house one afternoon and more or less demanded to go up to his room, practically pushing his way up the stairs once he had his shoes off. He peered around the room, cataloging the details, checking out Yu's modest CD collection. Yosuke poked at the folded bedding in the corner with his toe and waggled his eyebrows.

"So, keep the goods under the futon?"

Yu laughed and shook his head. "I can't keep stuff like that. Dojima would kill me if he found out."

Rubbing his nose, Yosuke nodded. "I guess. So, brought any girls up here?"

Yu rolled his eyes and sat on the couch. "Of course not."

Yosuke seemed oddly pleased by that answer, and Yu definitely tried not to read into it and failed. The topic didn't come up again until Nanako came into the room to discuss her friend's crush, Yosuke muttering about having 'things to do' before he could have someone special. Things got awkward after that as he drew in on himself, shoulders hunched even after Nanako left.

"You okay?"

Shrugging, Yosuke dropped his arms. "Yeah, just thinking." He turned to the dresser and picked up a magazine Yu had left on the top. "I keep saying how much I want a girlfriend, but I wouldn't really be able to give one my time anyway, y'know? Not until we're done with the case."

Yu stood from the couch and walked over to him, patting his shoulder. "We'll finish it."

"Yeah?" Yosuke perked up, brushing his bangs aside. "Thanks partner."

He still tried to rummage underneath Yu's futon, disappointed when he found nothing but an old grocery list and a copy of _Off Today._ The journal containing the record of events was safely tucked away inside a drawer, hidden beneath several layers of clothing. Yu saw him off an hour later, then sighed to himself. His head knew Yosuke was out of reach. Convincing his heart of the same would take a bit more work.

\-----

June hit, and the vegetables Nanko planted were already producing tiny red tomatoes. She was practically dancing as they harvested them, and Yu cooked a pasta dinner topped with simmered tomatoes and garlic. Dojima had high praise for the dish, serving up coffee afterwards as they all watched the quiz show together.

Yu ventured out to work at the hospital again. He wasn't as freaked out by the building anymore, even though he was almost certain it was haunted, shadows shifting in the corner of his eye and whispers coming from empty rooms. The nurse, Sayoko, came to speak with him, and the Devil Arcana blossomed inside him. It squirmed, an uncomfortable presence that Yu wasn't sure he really wanted. But it was power, and he needed all he could get.

On the first Sunday of the month, Yu took Marie out of the Velvet room again. She asked to be taken somewhere else, so they purchased tickets to Okina. Even getting her on the train was an ordeal, as everything she saw and experienced was new. Chie and Yukiko met them in the city, the girls out for a day of shopping, and together they ventured into Croco Fur.

Yu stood to the side and watched the girls shop, smiling at how easily they got along. Chie and Yukiko had accepted Marie without question, looping their arms in hers to drag her to shelf after shelf of clothes. Marie's comments on their color choices had Yu covering his mouth to stifle laughter, the girls scrambling to prove her wrong.

"Everything you've picked out is green," Marie said.

"What about this?" Chie held up a yellow shirt and blue shorts. "These aren't green!"

Marie frowned. "...Yellow and blue _make_ green."

The chuckle escaped Yu before he could stop it, and soon they were all laughing, Marie smiled and glance between then, as though she wasn't entirely sure what was so funny. They left the shop with a few small purchases - Yukiko couldn't resist the red hair clips she found, and Chie nabbed herself a green tank top. They gathered by the station, Chie pulling out her phone.

"Hey, let's take a picture!" Her phone clicked open. "Y'know, to commemorate our new friendship with Marie!"

Marie seemed confused as ever as Chie pulled her close, motioning for Yukiko to do the same as Chie held her phone out at arm's length. Yu stepped into the photo, leaning into Marie.

"Just smile," he whispered. She did her best, and Chie snapped the photo. The four of them grinned back from her phone screen, awkwardly crowded together to fit in the frame.

"Hey, this came out really nice!" Chie held up her phone. "I'll send it to everyone. You too, Marie! What's your number?"

Marie fidgeted. "Number? I don't have one of those things."

As Chie dissolved into sheer horror that Marie somehow didn't own a phone, Yu pondered the picture. His own phone's memory was full to bursting with pictures at one point. Photos of Nanako, Yosuke, of the town and its army of stray cats. Snapshots of his friends and cherished moments. It was wiped clean when he was sent back in time, all the photos gone, as if they'd never happened.

Yu waved to his friends and told them he'd catch up. He quickly went back to another shop he'd spotted, tucked in a corner near a group of vending machines.

The store was a mishmash of different electronics and appliances, some used, bright yellow price tags hanging from shelves. Yu found what he was looking for near the back - a 35 millimeter camera, relatively new, used but in good shape. He paid cash and went straight to the drug store by the station, picking up a four pack of film rolls before rejoining the girls. He wasn't going to trust all those memories to his phone's sim card this time.

\-----

Kanji returned to school the next day, looking healthy and strong. His formal induction into the team involved a trip to the TV World and a pair of Teddie's gag glasses, of which Yu assured him they'd all worn by this point. As they returned to Junes, Chie pulled out her phone.

"Oh yeah, the school camping trip is coming up."

Yu's stomach bottomed out. How could he have forgotten that particular nightmare? The memory must have shown on his face, Yukiko commenting that he'd gone pale. He would definitely have to intervene on this one, for the sake of his small intestine if nothing else.

\-----

"You're friends with Hanamura, right?" A frown, then a face crumpled in pain. "I hate him. And you too."

Naoki's hand was already on the door. There probably wasn't anything Yu could do or say to keep him from walking out of the nurse's office, but this time he actually understood. He knew how Naoki was hurting, having experienced the pain of losing a family member first hand. Maybe he could be a better friend to him this time around.

Yu nodded. "That's fair."

Naoki's face shifted, several emotions passing over his eyes before he turned and walked out. The door slid shut, and Yu returned to checking expiration dates on the topical medicines in the cabinet. There was a brief moment where the grief of losing Nanako came back to him full force, making him squeeze his eyes shut against the memory.

\-----

As classes ended, the slap of paper against his desk stopped Yu in his tracks, halfway through putting his pencil case back in his bag. A pamphlet was in front of him, the words  _Motorcycle Licence Guides and Laws_ staring up at him in bright yellow.

Yosuke stood by his desk, what looked like another copy of the same pamphlet in his hands and a triumphant grin on his face.

"What's this?" Yu asked. Yosuke beamed at him.

"Dude. Hear me out. _Motorcycles._ "

Yu blinked as Yosuke launched into an explanation of his grand plan to get motorcycle licences. This was new, though he had to frown when he started going on about 'smooshies' or whatever he called it. It was a topic that probably would have annoyed Yu even if he didn't feel the way he did; his best friend's obsession with getting a girlfriend was worrying at times, irritating at others, his methods and attitude less than savory at times.

"What happened to not having time for that until we're done with the case?" Yu asked, flipping the pamphlet closed and hoping his words didn't come out as nettled as he thought they would.

Yosuke's shoulders slumped. "Well... I mean, it'll still be fun, right? We can get to new places and stuff."

Then he was doing that thing again, ducking his head and looking at Yu through his lashes and it was impossible to say no to him. Yu wasn't sure if Yosuke did it on purpose or if it was just his nature to act like a kicked puppy, but either way Yu agreed to get a license. He certainly had enough cash left over for a scooter or something similar, although he mused a purchase like that would finally burn through the stacks that had followed him from his previous life.

Yu studied the pamphlet that night as promised. It was straightforward and simple, mostly traffic laws and general safety information. It didn't seem difficult and texted Yosuke as much before going to bed. This was an interesting turn.

\-----

The license exam was painfully easy. Yu just had to regurgitate the pamphlet and he ended up with a perfect score. Yosuke did as well, despite how worried he was about it.

The real suprise came when Yu was on his way home, and passed Dojima at the gas station, grinning as Adachi wheeled out a white scooter - the vintage one that had been sitting in front of the house. Yu looked from the scooter to his uncle several times in disbelief.

Dojima held out a ring of two small keys and grinned. "It's tuned up and fueled up. Just be careful, alright?"

The little scooter creaked under his weight as Yu sat in the faded leather seat. Dojima showed him how to get it started, the old bike slightly different than the ones he'd seen in the pamphlet. "Hold in the clutch - there, now give it some gas, turn the right handle a little." The scooter sputtered to life, the engine rumbling beneath him.

"Take it for a spin." Yu was handed a helmet, scuffed and worn, with a pair of goggles attached. Inside he could make out a faded scrawl of _Ryotaro Dojima_ before he put it on.

"Don't go too far, just on the streets you know."

Yu looked up at his uncle, who looked so oddly proud of him, with Adachi and his goofy smile standing to the side. "Thank you."

He drove to the end of the shopping district, then turned and made a small loop around the neighborhood. The scooter only stalled once, when he wasn't paying attention, but otherwise the ride was smooth. It was _exhilarating,_ the purr of the engine and the wind in his face, Inaba's small houses rushing past. It made him feel alive, in a way that fighting didn't quite match. It felt like peace.

Yu made a two block detour and parked in front of Yosuke's house, turning off the engine and removing his helmet. He ran a quick hand through his hair and pulled out his phone, glancing up at the open window to what he knew was Yosuke's room.

_> Hey, you home?_  
  
He leaned back against the seat of the bike, posing.

_> yeah wats up prtnr_

_> Look out your window._

A few seconds of tense anticipation later, a hand was pushing aside the curtain of the second floor window. Yosuke, headphones firmly over his ears, stuck his head out, squinting. His eyes widened when he spotted Yu, sitting on his scooter in the street, then he squawked and yanked himself back inside.

Yu could help but feel smug as Yosuke came clamoring out of his house, wearing casual clothes and a pair of flip flops.

"Dude! You got a scooter? Already? How! Holy crap!"

Laughing, Yu got off the seat and let Yosuke paw at the vehicle. "It's my uncle's. He's letting me use it."

"Whoa." Yosuke sat in the seat and gripped at the handlebars, grinning widely. "It's so old, but kinda cool. Vintage, y'know?" He stood and made a loop around the scooter. "I was looking at some new models, but now that I'm seeing this one, there's something awesome about this old style. Maybe I'll get one like it."

Yosuke went on about the scooter, citing all the places they could get to on their own now - Okina, the valley, the beach - before finally remembering his homework. He watched Yu start up the engine and was practically giddy with excitement as they said goodnight.

\-----

Yu was still on a high from his scooter ride as he sat down with Shu, the boy he'd be tutoring. After listening to his mother talk about her son as if he weren't there, Yu felt a connection with him. The main difference is that his mother seemed to be genuinely concerned for her son's future, and didn't have the cold disposition that he remembered of his own.

"If I find you inadequate," Shu commented as he pushed his glasses up. "I'll have you replaced."

Yu blinked. Of all the difficulties he was expecting to face in being a tutor, attitude problems weren't among them. He shrugged and suggested they go over math. Shu was sharp as a tack, but Yu had finished second year of high school and knew more complex material. He was able to coach him through his homework, explaining the material in a concise and straightforward way that had Shu nodding his head in understanding.

The addition of the Tower Arcana wasn't completely out of the blue. By this point, there were only a handful that Yu had missed, and he was determined to find them all this time. There were more people he could help. He knew there was a more selfish reason there, but squashed it down as he left Shu's and boarded the bus bound for Inaba.

\-----

With Kanji back at school, Yu wasted no time in getting his social link started. It wasn't just for himself, but also for Kanji, who the other students seemed to go out of their way to avoid. Kanji needed a friend, and Yu was happy to oblige. Maybe this time he'd ask Kanji to teach him out to crochet, something he'd been curious about but never brought up.

Yu sighed in relief as the day for summer wardrobes came, finally able to hang up his jacket and switch to short sleeves and lightweight trousers. He'd always been hot blooded, overheating easily and sweating at the first tick of the thermometer over seventy five degrees. It was a wonder he didn't drop dead in Kanji's Bathhouse.

The following Wednesday, Yosuke practically tackled Yu on the way to school to tell him that he'd purchased a motorcycle. He gushed about how girls loved motorcycles and his determination to have a girlfriend to spend the summer with. Yu clammed up, but Yosuke was too worked up to notice. He changed into his school shoes and pondered how his best friend seemed much more aggressively straight than last time.

Yosuke grabbed his arm as soon as the final bell rang and demanded they go to Okina to show off their scooters. Yu frowned but went along with it; he'd wanted to spend the day with Kou and Daisuke - he was getting Daisuke to open up, and Kou hadn't been showing up to practice - but this was a new event, and he should see it through. Even if he could feel irritation rolling off his body in waves as they fetched their scooters.

The ride to the city was nice, at least. A long stretch of highway surrounded by rice fields, with a few farm houses tucked into the mountainsides. The breeze blowing by was enough to offset the heat of the sun that beat down on them, and as they approached Okina, the houses thickened until buildings sprang up. They got lost twice and had to ask for directions to the downtown square, but finally arrived by the train station and parked their scooters. Kanji had somehow managed to follow them all the way there on his crude little bicycle.

Kanji ran off on his own, and Yosuke clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's get this plan underway!"

Yu put his helmet into the seat compartment of his scooter and raised an eyebrow. "Plan?"

Rolling his eyes, Yosuke leaned back on his scooter. "Dude. We sit here and look cool with our bikes. Girls notice us and come chat us up. Then we're on our way to girlfriend city. You follow me?"

The good mood he'd built up on the ride there vanished, and Yu let the seat slam itself shut before sitting on it. "Is that actually going to work?"

Yosuke grinned at him. "Sure it will!"

Yu tried not to scowl at him, and by the way Yosuke was primping his hair, he didn't seem to notice Yu's discomfort at all. They made small talk to pass the time, which eventually gave way to genuine conversation. They talked about school, the TV World (keeping their voices low and using several creative euphemisms), and traded stories about middle school.

After a few hours, Yosuke conceded that it wasn't working, and proposed a pickup contest after Kanji returned. Yu refused, sitting firmly on his bike, letting his friends walk around and make awkward attempts at conversation. It really hit him how young they were. To most of the girls he could see in the area, they probably looked like a couple of desperate kids. Yu went to a vending machine and bought himself a soda, figuring he'd at least see how this panned out.

He was certainly not expecting to watch Yosuke's scooter get crushed.

Yu followed the back tire with his eyes as it popped off and rolled several yards away. Hanako seemed utterly unfazed by this as she got off the ruined motorbike, brushing off her skirt and bidding them farewell. Yosuke fell to his knees and wailed, but all the irritation he'd caused with his insane pickup contest came to a head. Yu pulled out his helmet and boarded his scooter with a frown.

As he backed out and started the engine, Yosuke looked up at him with wet eyes - those puppy eyes. It made Yu seethe, but Yosuke was still up shit creek, so Yu pulled out his wallet and handed him a large bill.

"Call a tow company and take a train home."

He did not add the _'you deserved this'_ that was sitting on his tongue, driving away before his mouth betrayed him.

At home, he took a cool shower and skipped the bath, rushing through his homework. While recording the day's events, Yu sagged. Watching Yosuke so desperate to find love had made him feel so small and lonely and frustrated, wanting to jump up and scream _'I'm right in front of you!'_ but completely unable to do so. It drove the point home: Yosuke wasn't his. He never was, and never would be.

Yu tossed and turned all night, the sound of the fan on its highest setting doing nothing to calm his mind.

\-----

By the end of school the next day, Yu's nerves had calmed, though his head was lightly throbbing from a lack of proper sleep. The girls suggested they purchase ingredients for the camp out dinner, and Yu snapped to attention. They went to the Junes grocery department, and Chie and Yukiko seemed intent on picking out bizarre ingredients for 'curry.' Yu's intestines seemed to recoil at the memory, deciding it was time for an intervention.

"Hey, aren't we picking up trash off the mountain on this trip?"

Chie stopped examining a dragon fruit and blinked. "Yeah, why?"

"Well," Yu did his best to look innocent. "Shouldn't we keep it simple, in case we're tired afterwards?"

Yukiko frowned at the can of instant coffee in her hands. "He's right. Last year we were exhausted at the end of the day."

"Should we get a mix, then?" Chie didn't look happy about the prospect.

"That's probably a good idea."

Yu sighed quietly, feeling like he'd dodged a bullet. Knowing the two of them, they'd probably still attempt to 'spice things up' in some odd way, and went to the snack section to grab a few emergency rations for himself and Yosuke.

\-----

The sun beat down on them as they cleaned up the litter. Being one of the taller guys in his group, Yu was tasked with heavy lifting, pulling old tires and cinder blocks out of the mud and heaving them into the bed of a truck. He removed his jacket and tied it around his waist, already soaked with sweat and hours left to go.

The difference between his and Yosuke's endurance showed as they trudged to the camp's outdoor showers. His friend shivered and complained under the cold spray, but Yu leaned into the icy water, finally feeling like he wasn't going to melt. Once they were dry and dressed, it was time for dinner, and Yu steeled himself, watching Yukiko and Chie pull out their bag of ingredients. There were more than a few items that reached beyond typical curry ingredients.

"Hey," he walked up to them. "Can I help?"

"We've got it!" Yukiko insisted, taking out a bag of marshmallows. Yu gulped.

"You look tired," he tried, getting a little desperate. "Why don't I start cutting the vegetables while you get the rice going?"

"Oh crap," Chie said. "I forgot about the rice! Um. How do you make rice again?"

"I know you have to wash it first. I think?" Yukiko put a hand on her chin in thought.

Yu felt a nervous sweat prickle up on his back. "Just run it under some cold water for a minute or so. I'll do some of the prep, that way we can eat sooner."

The girls finally seemed convinced, and took the bag of rice they'd bought and walked away. Yu quickly dove into their bag, finding it full of horrors - instant coffee, white chocolate bars, weird fruit he wasn't even sure he could identify, orange hard candy, and grape bubblegum. He took out the actual ingredients, and tucked the rest into his pockets. The can of coffee ended up in the trash, he'd pay them back for it.

Yu was cutting into a potato as they returned with the dubiously washed rice. Hopefully this time it wouldn't be so bad.

  
He was so, _so_ wrong.

How in god's name they managed to make something this nighmarishly terrible with nothing more than standard ingredients and store bought mix was baffling. It smelled rotten and the texture was somewhere between slime and grit, the only identifiable flavor being the heat of multiple chili peppers. Even the rice was a waste, tasting like it had been cooked with a pound of salt. Yosuke was furious, but Yu just slumped in defeat. He'd tried so hard.

That night in the tent they were joined by Kanji, and Yu shuffled their bags around to make room for the underclassman's ridiculously long legs. Yosuke was visibly on edge, likely from a combination of his empty stomach and the presence of Kanji.

"Are... are we gonna be safe with him in here?"

Kanji frowned. "The hell's that supposed to mean?"

Yu groaned to himself and pinched the bridge of his nose. This again. Yosuke and Kanji went back and forth, bickering until they were both standing, and Kanji was threatening to go to the girl's tent. Yu was too tired, sore, and hungry to deal with the debacle for a second time. He stood, gripped both of their wrists in either hand, and slammed himself back down onto the tent floor. Yosuke and Kanji went down with him, yelping in surprise.

"Knock it off, both of you!" Yu hissed, squeezing their arms. "Kanji, you don't have anything to prove to us." He turns his head to Yosuke. "And you need to _stop._ I don't harp on you for what your shadow said. Don't do it to him."

A profoundly uncomfortable silence settled inside the tent, Yosuke turning red from ears to neck, Kanji just staring at him in surprise. After a few beats Yu took a breath and released his friends, Yosuke scurrying back like he'd been burned.

The night was ruined, but it was still better than the weirdness of sharing a tent with the girls. With a long sigh Yu reached for his bag, fishing out the snacks he'd brought. He handed a packaged rice ball to Yosuke, who stared at him before shyly taking it.

"Want one?" Yu asked Kanji, holding one out. Kanji shook his head.

"Nah, thanks. I got some animal crackers."

They ate in silence, trying to muffle the crinkling of the wrappers as they went through a four pack of rice balls and a couple of juice boxes. Yu broke the chocolate bar he'd brought into three pieces, Yosuke muttering a tiny "thanks" as he took his piece.

It was almost too warm in the cramped tent with the three of them, Yu sitting up to take off his jacket and toss it aside. When he settled back down, he could faintly make out Yosuke in the dark, curled in on himself and staring at him.

Yu felt a pang of guilt and turned slightly. "Sorry I yelled at you," he whispered.

Yosuke flinched, the sighed and shook his head. "I was bein' an ass."

With the hand closest to him, Yu reached out and tapped Yosuke's shoulder with the back of his knuckles.

\-----

Yu was wondering how to get out of swimming the next day, but Chie and Yukiko beat him to the punch. They were both exhausted, looking like they hadn't slept in days, and refused to even hear Yosuke out. As they left the riverbank, Yu could hear Morooka heaving upstream. At least he'd avoided that particular disaster.

He went grocery shopping with Nanako after returning home, then spent hours recording in his journal, stopping only for dinner. Yu was so engrossed in the task and speculations that he didn't realize the time until his TV flickered to life, flooding his room with yellow. The blurred image of Rise was there in the static.

It seemed like that was sooner than he remembered, so he made a note and tried to go to bed. Sleep alluded him, his brain to busy to calm down and let him rest.

\-----

After school the next day, Yu spotted a familiar yellow sweatshirt in the shopping district. It was Kubo, standing near one of the closed shops and muttering to himself, scanning the street with his unsettlingly large eyes. He was hit by the realization that Kubo would murder Morooka soon, but he was fuzzy on exactly when. Some time after they rescued Rise? Or was it before?

He should attempt to stop it, but his uncle was already suspicious, thinking he was involved in the murders. The most he could report Kubo for was being marginally creepy towards Yukiko, but as far as Yu knew, he hadn't committed any actual crimes.

With a sigh, he went into the Velvet Room to contemplate. Margaret made her first demand for a Persona, and Yu smiled. At least this Social Link would be easy. From the Compendium he pulled her first five requests, watching her stunned expression with amusement.

"It seems you were quite busy in your previous life," Margaret commented.

"There was another you," Yu explained. "She asked for the same Personas."

"Oh?" Margaret cocked an eyebrow. "Was she..."

She trailed off, then glanced at Igor, who gave her a blank expression. "Actually, nevermind," Margaret said, closing the Compendium. "It's better if I don't know."

Yu frowned but didn't press, choosing to leave the Velvet Room and head home. Rise appeared on a TV show while he ate dinner with Dojima and Nanako, being interviewed about withdrawing from show business. She looked so tired, her shoulder slumped and her cheeks a little too thin. It was nothing like the Rise he knew.

\-----

In the middle of stocking a shelf of radishes in the Junes grocery department, Yu realized that Yosuke's birthday was in two days. He'd found out a month after the fact last time - Yosuke never told anyone the day of, too focused on trying to prevent Rise's kidnapping without success.

He watched his friend helping customers a few feet away and smiled. Yu would make sure his birthday was a little brighter this time than before.

\-----

Meeting Rise proved to be as much of a challenge as it was the first time, crowds of students and locals clamoring to catch a glimpse of someone famous. Yu mused that it probably could have been anyone and it would have caused a stir in the quiet little town. Excitement was a precious commodity around here, so the public tended to eat it up on the rare occasions it appeared.

After the throngs of onlookers dispersed, they were finally able to approach the shop. Yosuke was fidgeting endlessly, visibly sweating as he suggested they go in anyway. Yu suggested he get an order of ganmodoki, instead of his previous suggestion of silken tofu. His best friend seemed to relax. Yu never found out why Yosuke hated tofu so much. He would have to ask him about it later.

They went inside, finding Rise behind the counter. They talked to her a bit, giving the same set of warnings as last time. She seemed grateful and handed them each a block of momen tofu. As they went to leave, Yosuke quietly slipping his block of tofu into Yu's bag,

"Thanks," Yu said. Yosuke went a little pink in the cheeks, and Yu figured now was a good a time as any, and pulled out the small card he'd been hiding in his back pocket, acquired on a short trip to the city the day before.

"By the way," Yu held out the green and blue envelope. "Happy birthday."

Yosuke's face went from slightly pink to full-on red as he very slowly reached out to take the card. Kanji, who'd been walking away, backpedaled to clap Yosuke on the back hard enough to make his shoulders shake.

"Whoa, it's your birthday? Damn, happy birthday, senpai!"

Yosuke seemed like he'd temporarily shut down, staring at the card in his hand. Kanji patted his back again with a "Well, open it!" and he seemed to finally come unstuck, setting down his Markyu bag and sliding open the paper envelope. His eyes lit up as he took out the gift card to a popular music store in Okina, loaded with five thousand yen.

"Seriously?" He finally looked up at Yu, his eyes sparkling. "I... wow. Thanks, Partner."

Yu smiled at him, and they walked to the end of the street before saying goodnight and parting ways. At home, Dojima tried to grill Yu about talking to Rise, which he assured his uncle that they just wanted to welcome her. Dojima didn't seem convinced, but let it go, possibly from all the tofu Yu had brought home for dinner.

Late that night, as Yu was finishing up the journal for the day, his phone rang. The screen read Yosuke as Yu flipped it open to answer.

"Hey, Partner," Yosuke sounded a little quieter than usual. "Just wanted to say thanks again. For the gift."

"It's no problem," Yu answered, cradling the phone with his shoulder. "It's too bad we couldn't go out and do something fun."

"It's fine, I'm kind of used to it." There was a pause. "My parents both worked late again, so. Yeah."

Yu frowned at the journal in front of him. He knew the Hanamuras were both workaholics, but they wouldn't actually forget their son's birthday. Would they?

"How'd you know?" Yosuke asked.

"Huh?"

"My birthday," came the clarification, accompanied by the squeak of a chair in the background. "I don't remember telling anyone."

Yu flashed hot. He'd been hoping that Yosuke would just accept it without question, but as usual, his best friend was dangerously sharp. "Didn't you mention it to me once?" he tried, hoping it would be enough.

There was silence, and then a small chuckle from the other end of the line. "I guess I must have. How else would you know?"

"Yeah," Yu laughed. He'd wanted to do something nice for Yosuke, but it could have blown up in his face. He really needed to be more careful, but these were his friends, the people he'd be lost without. Yu wanted to make them all feel special, like they did with him. They deserved it, especially Yosuke.

"We gotta watch out for Rise tonight, huh?"

Yu sighed. "Yeah. It's almost midnight."

He could almost hear Yosuke's leg bouncing nervously. "Think she'll be there?"

"Hopefully not," Yu closed the leather journal and fastened the clasp. "But we know what to do if she is."

"Yeah. Yeah, we'll save her." Yosuke's voice gained a hint of pride, a little confidence. He really did like to play hero.

"I'll call you if I see anything, Partner."

"Okay. Later, Yosuke."

"Later."

Yu clicked his phone shut, then tucked the journal back in its resting place. He already added a note about seeing Rise on the Midnight Channel, and it turns out he didn't have to amend it at all. It played out relatively the same, right down to Yosuke's barely masked excitement. Rise's image was still faded and blurry, her shadow not appearing quite yet, so they still had another day before she'd be taken.

He went to his futon, but sleep escaped him until deep into the night. He made a note the next morning to pick up something for it. He couldn't afford to be tired, not with Rise's strip club in their future. Yu had to stay on his feet, stay alert. He couldn't afford mistakes. Not this time.


	11. A Poor Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd in my rush to update. Apologies for any weird errors. Feedback is welcome!

Thursday dawned, and the day played out like it had been scripted, from endlessly walking back and forth in front of Marukyu Tofu to Adachi dragging the crying stalker off. Yu was more convinced than ever that the man was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Creepy, maybe, but probably had zero to do with the case at all.

Kanji had taken it upon himself to make Yosuke a belated birthday gift in the form of a hand towel, a tiny frog lovingly embroidered on the corner. Yosuke went cherry red, stuttering out a thanks as Yukiko and Chie gaped. The girls tried to produce various items from their pockets as makeshift gifts, and Yosuke accepted a pack of meat gum with a grimace as Yu tried not to laugh.

After they'd disbanded, Yu took a side trip to the Junes pharmacy department. It took a while to find what he was looking for in the endless shelves of supplements and vitamins, but just before sunset he was travelling home with a bottle of melatonin tablets. Hopefully they could resolve his insomnia before it became a real problem.

Rise's shadow appeared on the Midnight Channel, bouncing around and shoving her chest at the camera. Yu swallowed a melatonin tablet with a frown, hoping there weren't very many people watching tonight.

\-----

Yu was happy to find that the supplement worked at least a little, making him drowsy enough to finally get a few solid hours of sleep before morning. It was better than nothing.

When they went to see Teddie about finding Rise, Yu put the info they all knew together until they collectively came to the conclusion of the idol's personality crisis. It was enough for Teddie to finally locate her, which was an immense relief. It had taken him three days to track down the information last time, which resulted in three wasted days.

Before they left to find the Marukyu Strip Tease, Teddie pulled Yu aside for a chat. The Star Arcana flickered to life within him as the new Social Link formed, fragile and timid, much like the bear himself. Yu wouldn't let him fade away again.

The strip club was even more overbearing this time. The air was thick with perfume and cigarette smoke, a bit too warm and slightly damp. Music thumped through the walls and floors, a bass line they could feel through their feet. Yu rolled his shoulders, motioning for Yosuke, Yukiko, and Kanji to join him.

"Be careful in there," Teddie warned. "I'm sensing some beary strong shadows inside."

The club was making the whole group uncomfortable, even Yosuke, who almost seemed excited at first. Shadows came at them relentlessly, wearing them down until they were forced to call it a day at the fourth floor. Yu couldn't remember how high up Rise's area went, but he figured they were probably closing in on halfway. They left Junes and parted ways with a promise to continue the next day.

Yu slept reasonably well, the combination of exhaustion from the Strip Club and the new medicine keeping him unconscious for most of the night. He was plagued by strange, vivid dreams, wherein Yosuke wore a mask and chased him through the town, only to fall into a river of pudding and be dragged out by a giant Yukiko holding him by the scruff of his neck. She laughed and let go, sending Yu careening towards a pile of rusted swords.

He awoke with a jerk and possibly a shout, chest heaving as he stared at the ceiling.

Once he had his bearings, Yu sat up and ran a hand down his face. A tiny hint of light was coming through the curtains, and a glance at his phone confirmed it was almost time to get ready for school. He'd sweat enough in his sleep to dampen his hair, and decided to grab a quick shower to freshen up instead of his usual lengthy breakfast with Nanako.

He spent most of the school day playing with his phone instead of paying attention. Once the final bell rang, they gathered at Junes, and ventured into the TV World again.

The higher they went, the more unsettling the Club became, whispers behind the curtains that Yu could hear even over the pulsing music. Even Yosuke lowered his headphones and squinted, as if concentrating, frowning when he couldn't make out words. The air changed, too, thick and heavy with alcohol and something thick and heady that Yu could only describe as sex. It put him on edge, made him keenly aware of Yosuke following just a few steps behind - Yosuke, with his skinny jeans and that long neck of his, _right there_ \- Yu shook his head to try and clear it. Chie and Kanji's focus seemed to be taking a hit as well, and after securing the ninth floor, Yu threw up a Goho-M.

In the cooler air of the back lot, Yu leaned on his knees and breathed deep. The club had almost gotten to him, something about the thumping bass getting under his skin and scattering his mind. The rest of his team was in a similar spot, looking vaguely uncomfortable.

"I think we're getting close to the top," Yu said, straightening up. "Let's take tomorrow off and resume on Monday." He glanced over at Yosuke. "Does that work?"

Yosuke jerked, visibly startled, almost dropping his mp3 player. "Uh. Yeah, I think so. I have a shift on Tuesday, though."

Yu nodded. "Okay. Everyone get some rest."

They disbanded, and Yu took the long way home, using the quiet paths to calm his mind before returning to the Dojima house. Nanako had ordered dinner, and they ate over the quiz show. Yu made sure to move the fan closer to his futon before going to bed, in case he had another bizarre dream that would see him waking up drenched again.

\-----

It wasn't hard to convince Nanako to head to the park near the river the next day. She practically ran from her seat near the TV as soon as Yu beckoned her, giddy as she could be. Armed with two carefully packed box lunches and a fresh roll of film in his new camera, they took the side streets to the small cluster of monkey bars and swings, nestled in a bed of fresh mulch with a line of tall pines behind them.

They played together, Nanako showing Yu the correct way to climb monkey bars and Yu pushing her on the swings. As Nanako played on her own, Yu began snapping photos, relying on the camera's auto functions. He didn't have a clue what the manual ones did yet, and he didn't want to miss his cousin picking flowers.They played a game of I Spy in which Nanako was the clear victor, stumping Yu with the yellow of a butterfly resting on a patch of grass. They found a bit of shade to have lunch, laughing at the crooked eyes on the octopus shaped sausages.

Nanako was trying to quiz him on a topic from school when a familiar orange head poked out of the bushes near the path. Yosuke smiled at them, sliding his headphones off his ears as he walked up.

"Hey! Having a picnic?"

Nanako triumphantly held up a bit of her lunch. "Big Bro got us some strawberries!"

"Are you working today?" Yu asked. Yosuke shook his head and shruged.

"Nah, just out for a walk." He took his mp3 player out of his pocket to pause it. "Mind if I hang out for a bit?"

Yu nodded, and Yosuke sat down on the grass. Nanako launched straight into describing the lunches they'd been eating in detail, causing Yosuke to join in on praising Yu's cooking. With his cheeks hot, Yu offered Yosuke one of his strawberries - partly to get him to just stop talking.

Yosuke took the fruit and bit into it, smiling. Struck with the scene, Yu grabbed his camera and snapped a photo, making Yosuke sputter and almost choke on the strawberry. Yu laughed and pat his back, and Nanako offered him a napkin before demanding he join her on the swings. Yu continued to play cameraman, and before he knew it, the roll of film was used up and it was time to head home.

They walked half of the way back together before Yosuke went off on his own, leaving Yu and Nanako hand in hand for the rest of the way home.

\-----

Checking his stock, then again, and a third time, Yu rolled his shoulders and hefted his sword. He knew exactly what was waiting for them on the top floor. This was going to _suck._

"Everyone ready?" He asked the team. "I think we're almost there, so keep your guard up."

With Chie, Yukiko, and Yosuke at his side, Yu skipped straight to the ninth floor and started plowing through, avoiding as many shadows as possible. They would need all of their strength.

They paused outside the door at the top to heal and down a few restoring items before pushing through. Inside was Rise and her Shadow, circling the pole in a glittering gold bikini. Yu could feel the grimaces of his teammates, Rise's suggestive movements making them stare at the floor.

"You're not me!"

A deafening crackle of static filled the room as Rise's Shadow attacked. Yu threw up a Diamond Shield immediately, praying Chie wouldn't exhaust herself before the real battle started. When his sword failed to connect, Yu switched to Ose for his strength against physical attacks, and braced himself.

Rise's Shadow still knocked him flat along with everyone else, Yu's head bouncing against the floor, making his vision swim briefly. Teddie shielded them, and even having seen it before, the sight of the bear flattened in the aftermath was still horrifying to behold, his eyes bulging and stuffing pushing out from his seams. Yu made a tiny note to properly thank Teddie once they made it out of here.

Teddie's shadow loomed. Yu added a few topcicles to the thank-you list.

Yukiko looked short of breath, so Yu passed her a Chewing Soul as they lined up to face the corrupted bear. He'd been through this battle before, and this time wasn't caught off guard by the attacks that almost decimated them the first time. Yu barked out commands in a tone he knew was more aggressive than usual, but he couldn't risk losing anyone now. Yosuke shot him a look but did as he was told, raising his arms to shield himself.

It took some time to wear the shadow down, but eventually it fell, flooding the room with black smoke. Chie crumbled, panting for breath and visibly sweating. Yu took a second to catch his own breath, seeing Yosuke staring at him from the edge of his vision.

Weary and battle-worn, they returned to the back lot, where the girls helped Rise back through the TV. Teddie began furiously doing sit-ups, his flattened suit flopping back and forth as he grunted with exertion. Yu smiled. Human Teddie would be a handful, but he couldn't deny that he was looking forward to having him back.

Yosuke stayed by Yu's side for half of the walk home, stopping at the intersection that divided their routes. He stopped Yu from turning down his street with a hand on his bicep, squeezing just a little. Yosuke was frowning, a deep crease between his eyebrows as he studied Yu's face.

"What's up?" Yu dared to ask. Yosuke pursed his lips.

"That battle," He began, searching for words. "You, uh. You were pretty intense back there."

Yu resisted the urge to chew at his lip. "I was a little freaked out," he lied. "I didn't know if we'd make it."

"Oh."

"Sorry," Yu grimaced. "Did I scare you?"

Yosuke blinked, then laughed softly. "Yeah, kinda."

Patting his shoulder, Yu gave his best smile. "I'll do better to keep you in the loop next time."

"Thanks, Partner." Yosuke shifted his weight from one foot to the other, rubbing at the back of his neck. "You can rely on me, y'know? I'm said I'd be your second."

Yu felt a pang of guilt creep down his neck. It stayed there long after they'd said goodnight and he'd walked home, until he was settled in his futon.

\-----

The days that followed Rise's rescue were calm. Yu had to drag himself to school on Tuesday, still recovering from fighting two shadows. Now that Rise was safe, all he could do was wait for her recovery. It gave him time to spend with his other friends, finally managing to form a tentative link with Naoki, help Ayane with her trombone, and get closer to solving the mystery of Kou's sudden lack in basketball. Yu was able to relax, even at his hospital job, where he met the mysterious old woman in black. All in all, it was business as usual.

Almost.

"Ai," Yu breathed, frozen in place. "What are you doing?"

From the other side of the chain link fence on the school roof was Ai, tears on her face, her hair whipping in the wind as she balanced on the edge of the roof.

"Don't come any closer!"

Yu ignored her command and rushed to the fence. He had no idea how she'd managed to climb over it so quickly - he'd been right behind her in the hall as soon as he caught her eavesdropping on his conversation with Kou. And furthermore, he had no idea how to react. This hadn't happened last time. Ai had ditched him after their third outing and he'd left it alone after.

"Ai," he tried, his heart in his throat. "Please, come back over the fence."

"I got beat out by Satonaka," she sobbed. "It's not fair! Aren't the beautiful girls supposed to find love?" She leaned forward. "I'm pretty now, but people still won't love me. What's the point?"

Threading his fingers into the fence wires, Yu struggled. "Please, Ai, just - just come back. Talk to me about this."

She met his eyes, her mascara smudged and running, and turned away from the ledge to grip the fence.

"Good," Yu sighed in relief. "Good, now just --" He shoved his feet through the chain links and climbed, hanging his upper half over the top and dropping his arm towards her. "Grab my hand, okay?"

Ai stretched her hand up, and Yu grabbed her wrist and began helping her over, catching her on the other side and carrying her away from the edge. He set Ai down on one of the concrete dividers and sat next to her, huffing a breath as his heart hammered inside his chest. Ai began to cry softly, and Yu shuffled close, digging a half empty pack of tissues from his pocket and offering them.

She told him about her past, how her weight and her family's status made her a pariah. Yu could feel the pieces clicking together, and her cold exterior made sense. Ai leaned into him, sniffling.

"Maybe I'll never have love."

"Don't say that," Yu gave her hands a gentle pat. "People just need to get to know you."

"Maybe." She dabbed her eyes with the tissue. "You're so nice. I wish I'd fallen in love with you instead."

Yu felt a chill that defied the summer heat as Ai pulled back and looked him in the eye, a tiny smile playing at her lips. "Hey, maybe we could go out...?"

A million excuses flooded Yu's head. _I can't, there's someone I already like, I'm not right for you,_ and somewhere deep inside, _sorry, I'm too busy being in love with my best friend._ But none of it felt right. Ai's face was puffy and red, her eyes swollen and her makeup all but cried away. She looked so fragile, like a paper doll, torn to shreds in the wind.

Yu didn't realize how long he'd been silent until Ai's face fell and she turned away. "Not even you, huh?"

Panicking, Yu grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Okay," he said. "Let's go out."

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

Threading their fingers together, Yu forced a smile. "Yeah."

She seemed happy then, and Yu walked her home, holding her hand. She said goodbye and he waved, then walked home, his head throbbing. Ai was his girlfriend now, apparently. He'd gotten himself into a right mess. But he couldn't just let her down, not after literally talking her off the edge. She needed to know that she could be loved by someone, and he was there. And in all fairness, he probably could have, if he wasn't already completely gone for someone else. Yu rubbed at his temples. He'd have to figure this one out.

\-----

The humidity lessened a bit as the rainy season withdrew, and the heat became slightly more bearable. Yu spent time after school with his friends, touring the school with Marie and teaching Nanako magic tricks after dinner. His lunches were spent with Ai, sitting together underneath a tree in the courtyard. She opened up to him about her fears, and Yu decided he didn't regret asking her out. He could already tell that she was stronger for it.

Adachi came over for dinner, bringing three buckets of instant ramen from Junes. As they ate together, he admitted his parents only cared about grades, something that genuinely surprised Yu. He quietly admitted that it was a common point for the two of them, and Adachi sent him a sad smile over his noodles.

Tuesday was supposed to be devoted to Yosuke, but he was pouty and withdrawn, his hands shoved into his pockets as they walked through the shopping district while the sun was setting. It wasn't until Yu bought them both sodas and they found an empty bench that Yosuke spoke up.

"You're really dating Ebihara, huh?"

Yu blinked, then lowered his soda. It figured word would get around, he'd just spent the afternoon shopping with Ai in Okina. "Yeah."

Yosuke just slumped and frowned at his drink. Yu didn't know what to say to him. Yosuke was jealous of Yu, that much was clear. And it was almost hilariously absurd. If this were a sitcom, a laugh track might have played.

"It's not really serious," Yu offered, hoping it would ease tension. Yosuke just shrugged.

\-----

Ai seemed to take up a great deal of Yu's time over the rest of the week, which was expected, but something seemed off. There was sadness in her eyes now, and Yu fretted, wondering how he could fix it.

She beat him to the punch on the roof on Friday with a simple, "I think we should break up."

Yu backpedaled a bit. It was almost convenient that Ai was ending their short-lived relationship in favor of remaining friends, but he didn't argue. It was a huge weight off his shoulders, and Yu walked her home, letting Ai use his umbrella as the rain began to fall.

\-----

All through school on Saturday, Yu was getting looks and catching the tail end of whispers as he left his umbrella by the door. He could only guess that the rumors were circulating about him and Ai. Not that it mattered much. He passed Ai in the hallway once near the end of lunch, and she gave him a soft smile and said hello.

The rain was tapering off as he returned home that evening. Nanako was waiting, her father spending another night at work, thought it wasn't surprising. Yu made a quick dinner and enjoyed the quiz show. Yu turned the television to the news to play in the background as they washed the dishes. A soapy serving fork was in his hand as the jingle for the weather forecast played, catching his ear.

"As a result, a thick fog is expected to develop over the Inaba region..."

The fork clattered back into the sink, sending a splash of suds onto his shirt. The fog was going to set in tonight. And since they saved Rise, the one that would be found the next morning was Morooka.

Yu wiped his hands and hurried upstairs for his wallet and glasses. Nanako peered at him from her stool in front of the sink, pausing.

"Big Bro?"

Pocketing his phone, Yu grimaced. "I, um. I'm going to go meet a friend real quick. I need some notes for school."

Nanako rinsed her hands and went for the towel. "Huh? But it's Saturday. And Dad says we shouldn't go outside when it's foggy."

Yu was normally so proud of how sharp Nanako was, but now he was ruing the way her intelligence was forcing him to lie. "It'll be okay, I'll just be gone a minute. Lock the door, okay?"

He tugged on his shoes and rushed out the door, mind racing. He'd almost completely forgotten about Morooka, too wrapped up in daily life to remember that someone was going to die tonight. Yu slipped on his glasses and took a glance around the street. Just as he feared, the fog became clear through Teddie's lenses. This was bad.

Rounding the corner that led to the shopping district, Yu flipped open his phone and hit Yosuke's contact. It picked up after two rings. "Hey Partner," Yosuke yawned. "What's up? It's not midnight yet."

"Yosuke." Yu froze. He had no idea what to say, no story to tell to explain why he was rushing out on a foggy night armed with nothing but his phone and keys. How could he even begin to explain this?

"Partner?" Yosuke's voice was now alert. "What's wrong?"

Yu cut through a back yard, picking up the pace as he made his way towards where Morooka's body had been discovered. "I..." he swallowed hard. "I might be in trouble."

There was a shuffle from the other end of the line. "What's happening? Where are you?"

He couldn't involve Yosuke. It was too much of a risk, too many variables. If Yosuke got hurt now, it could throw everything off, set time on a path he couldn't predict.

"Partner!"

"It's okay," Yu finally huffed into the phone. He was breathing hard, and doing a poor job of hiding it. "I think I'll be okay. Just..." He came to a stop near a bed of flowers. Someone's side yard, well tended. "If I don't contact you in another hour, call the police, okay?"

"What?" There was panic in Yosuke's voice. "Oh hell no, what the fuck? What's going on? _Where are you?"_

Yu resumed walking, nearly jogging down the street. Almost there. "I'm outside."

A rustle of fabric. "I don't see you."

"Not outside your house, I'm in town." Yu stopped, taking the phone from his ears. He could hear someone, a single voice. Male, close by. "Listen, I gotta go."

"What the - No, don't hang up on me! Yu, what the hell is going on?"

Hearing Yosuke call him by name and not 'partner' made his throat clench. He rounded another corner, and at the end of the street, he could clearly see Morooka, wavering drunkenly, talking to himself. Still alive. Yu lowered his voice and brought the phone close to his mouth.

"I'll explain later, I promise, but right now please trust me." There was a little gasp on the other end of the line.

"...I'm calling the others, right now."

"Fine," Yu glanced around the street. "I have to go. Stay inside. If I don't call you - "

"You'd _better,"_ Yosuke's voice was shaking.

With a heavy exhale, Yu clicked his phone shut and slipped it back into his front pocket.

Morooka was bitching about a wide array of things as Yu approached. The teacher didn't notice him at first, clearly inebriated, his tie hanging loose around his neck. Yu tried several times to get his attention, only succeeding when he reached out and touched his arm.

"Th'shit!" Morooka jumped. The sharp scent of liquor was on his breath. "What're you doin', ya punk?"

"Mister Morooka," Yu tried, a combination of relief and apprehension making his stomach roll. "You should probably get home, it's very late."

"Don' tell me what t'do," Morooka slurred, shoving Yu aside. "Yer just a little shit."

Yu scanned the surrounding area. They were still alone, most of the windows around them darkened, and the street was eerily silent besides their footsteps.

"I'll walk you home, sir. Where do you live?"

"I'm not - " Morooka hiccuped. "I'm not givin' you any bonus points fer this."

Yu shook his head. "Of course not --"

There was a glint just behind Morooka, something shining in the dim lamps that lined the street. Yu almost didn't react, ungluing himself fast enough to shove Morooka hard, nearly toppling over in the process.

He heard a dull thud, then a shout, and Morooka stumble away, grabbing at one of his arms. Yu looked at where the attack had come from, and saw the faint outline of Kubo in the darkness. In his right hand was something Yu couldn't identify, something heavy and hard. On the ground nearby, Morooka had begun to wail.

"Kubo," Yu said, trying to keep his voice level. "Don't do this."

He thought he saw Kubo sneer, but in the darkness, it was hard to tell. Kubo raised his arm, brandishing what Yu could now tell was a liquor bottle, thick glass that reflected the street lamps. He swung at Yu, who easily ducked away.

"Why do you care if he dies?" Kubo asked, swinging again and driving Yu backwards. "He's scum! He should die!"

The bottle came down again, and this time, Yu's back hit a trash can, throwing off his balance. The corner of the bottle caught Yu's left wrist, smacking against the bone and sending a shock wave of pain shooing up his arm. He grunted, his right palm clapping over his throbbing left hand on instinct.

He didn't see the next swing. The pain in his arm drew all of his attention, muting Kubo's movements. Yu heard the low tink of glass before he felt it, his right temple exploding in agony. Sound cut out and the world tilted, the pavement came up to meet his face, hot and damp under his cheek. He heard a crunch, something breaking.

His vision was blurring. Red.

Someone screamed.

He was so tired.

_Tired...._


	12. -

"My, my. What an interesting turn of events."

The words were distant and quiet, but Yu could feel them, thrumming through his veins. He tried to look up, to move, but his body didn't want to obey. A small sound came out of him as he struggled to open his eyes.

There was blue, all around him. Was he breathing?

"You seem to have taken quite a blow."

Yu blinked, then again. He was in the limo, though he had no idea how he got there. He raised his head from the seat - why was he lying down? - and glanced at Igor, who wavered and rippled like refracted light.

"What happened?" he managed, though his voice sounded odd.

"I have drawn you here, though it seems you've run into some trouble," Igor explained.

Pushing himself off the cushion, Yu sat up, nearly falling over in the other direction. The memory of pain was floating through his mind, but he couldn't remember why. He put a hand to his head as if it would tell him.

"Am I dead?"

Igor chuckled. "No. Though you very nearly were."

Frowning, Yu felt guilty. Why? He'd almost died so many times. His hand felt wet.

"I hope your decision proves to be a useful one," Igor played with a card on the table. Yu tried to reach out, but his fingers were red, something warm and wet running down his face.

"Rest now. I will see you again."

The Velvet Room faded away, and suddenly Yu's limbs were heavy and weak. There was talking somewhere nearby, but he couldn't understand the words at all. He couldn't move. Was he tied down? He wiggled, or at least tried to. The world was muted. Yu thought he might be lying down.

Fingers on his face, pulling his eye open and then bright, so bright. It hurt. He heard himself grunt and the hands left him, his eyelid snapping shut. More talking, this time closer, voices he didn't know, words he couldn't recognize. He was so tired.

The universe slipped into silent darkness around him.


	13. Awake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yet another scramble to get a chapter out, this time because P5 took over my life. unbeta'd, feedback is welcome! Very welcome. It keeps me writing.

Sounds began filtering in, slowly, muffled as though spoken through heavy cloth. Who was in his room? Was it time to get up already? He felt like he needed more sleep. So much more. Someone was saying his name.

Yu tried several times to open his eyes, but they were heavy enough to make the task seem almost impossible. A tiny bit of light seeped in and he groaned, the sound thin and reedy.

"Don't strain yourself, now."

His eye was open, but he couldn't really focus on anything. It was all a blur, moving too fast for him to keep up. A person was beside him, a face he didn't recognize. So many lights, too bright.

Yu's eye closed again.

\-----

There was a beeping nearby, and it was constant and loud and mildly upsetting. Yu wanted to roll away from it, but he was so heavy, like he'd run through every level of Kanji's Bathhouse without stopping. He tried to open his eyes, it took some effort, but eventually they fluttered open.

He wasn't at home, that much was certain. The blanket on his lap was white, woven, not his light blue sheet or dark comforter. His left hand was so pale - no, bandages, all over his wrist, his fingers sticking out of the ends. A white bracelet on his arm.

Yu frowned, tried to think. Where had he been last...? His memory was so hazy.

Someone was next to him. Orange and red. Sad. He knew that face. Yosuke. _Yo-suke,_ with bright eyes and a laugh like sunshine, fierce, scared. _Partner._

Yosuke was staring at the sheets, at Yu's arm. His voice didn't want to work, so he tried wiggling his fingers. It felt dull, like the limb was only half there, hovering on the edge of pain. It must have worked, because then Yosuke let out a tiny little sound and met his eyes, sitting straight up. "Yu," he whispered, or maybe he said loudly, it was hard to tell.

"Hi."

Yosuke's eyes were bloodshot, but he smiled and it felt wonderful and warm. Yu tried to smile back but had no way of knowing if it worked, a strange pervasive numbness all around him.

"How ya doing, Partner?"

What a question. Yu had no real answer. He hurt, but he didn't, he couldn't think, his brain all full of sludge and moving like a half-frozen river. He tried to wriggle around, distantly aware that he was uncomfortable. "W-where...?"

Yosuke's hand came up and hovered near his face, settling on his shoulder. It was hot, so hot, the skin of Yosuke's palm burning. "You're in the hospital," he said, his voice rough.

The hospital? That didn't make sense at all. Why didn't Yukiko heal him? Why didn't Yosuke?

"Do you need anything?"

Yu tried to shake his head, but the motion made the room spin. He grunted. "I think I'm...."

He didn't remember finishing the sentence, nor what he even meant to say.

  
It was hours before he awoke again. Days, maybe years. Yosuke was still beside him, dark circles under his eyes.

"Yosuke?"

A smile. "You faded out for a bit there. You missed Nanako."

_Nanako._

He missed her? Was he too late then? Had he slept through November and didn't get to say goodbye and now she was... It hurt, so much, his throat closing up tight.

"Whoa, hey," a knuckle brushed his cheek. "What's wrong?"

Yu tried to breathe but it stuttered, uneven, heaving a pitiful sob. His face was wet and his vision blurring as his heart clenched. He couldn't breathe. "Nanako."

"Hey, Partner," something soft wiping at his face. "Shh, It's okay. She'll be back tomorrow."

But it wasn't fine, it was awful, why didn't Yosuke _understand?_ He'd lost the light of his life and now he'd have to go through it once more, he'd have to bury her again and stare at her photo in the family alter lined with black ribbon and come home to an empty house, all because he was a miserable failure who wasn't strong enough to save one little girl -

Yosuke was still wiping at his face and nose while he whimpered and sniffled, whispering little comforting words.

"What if I can't do it this time, Yosuke?" he asked brokenly. "What if I can't save her?"

"Shh, hey, it's okay," Yosuke was so close. "It'll be okay."

Yu didn't believe him. How could he? Yosuke would hate him, they all would, when they saw how weak he really was, how much of it was just an act.

He couldn't feel Yosuke's hands on his face anymore.

\-----

When Yu awoke again, the fog in his mind had cleared out a bit, and he took stock of where he was. A small hospital room, with a window to his left where light was filtering in. Machines to his right, beeping softly. An IV in the top of his right hand. His left hand and wrist were covered in bandages.

"Oh, you're awake."

A woman came to his bedside, a nurse, with short dark hair tucked behind her ears, grey scrubs with a white cardigan. She had a gentle smile, crows feet forming at the corners of her eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

Yu blinked. "I'm..." Had only his left eye blinked? He raised his right hand to his face, feeling bandages there, covering his right eye. A ripple of panic went through him. "Is something wrong with my eye?"

The nurse pulled his hand away and set it back down on the bed. "No, dear, your eye is fine." She turned to the array of buttons on the wall beside him, pushing one. "The doctor will be in soon. How do you feel?"

He thought about it. "My head sort of hurts, I think." His tongue clicked in his dry mouth. "I'm... really thirsty."

The nurse nodded and left, returning with a glass of water and helping him take small sips. A doctor came in a few minutes later, a tall man with thinning hair and thick rimmed glasses. He asked Yu a series of unrelated questions, the date, who the prime minister was, simple math problems, then took some of his vitals, nodding at his clipboard.

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"I. Um." It was all a jumble in his mind, a giant knot. His head throbbed as he tried to sort it out. He remembered dropping the fork into the sink. "I was washing dishes with my cousin."

"Do you know how you got here?"

Yu frowned. The memory just wasn't there. "No."

The doctor continued to examine him, deftly skirting the subject of how he got hurt. Yu was loaded into a wheelchair and brought to another room and hefted into an MRI machine. He was informed he had a minor concussion, a sprained wrist, and a deep cut on his forehead. Yu strained to hear the nurses talk to each other, finding out that it was July 12th, sometime around eight in the morning. The last day he could remember clearly was the ninth.

Yu was returned to his room, where his bed was adjusted to allow him to sit up. He was tired and groggy, likely a result of the IV in his hand. The amount of painkillers coming through must have been lessened, for now he could feel the sprain in his left wrist, throbbing hot with his pulse. He tried to ignore it and eat the tiny serving of bland rice porridge he was given, his appetite nowhere to be seen.

He slept a bit after that, wavering in and out of a dreamless sleep, awakening in the afternoon to bright sunlight coming through the curtains. It looked hot outside, but his room was cool and dry.

A nurse came in, a different one than this morning. "There's someone here to see you. Are you feeling up to a visitor?"

Yu smiled, nodding. It was probably Yosuke, or Dojima and Nanako. The nurse spoke with someone at the door, then Mister Morooka strode in. He stared at Yu, his face downcast and haggard, his right arm in a dark blue sling. "Hey, kid."

The door clicked shut, and Morooka stood awkwardly at the foot of Yu's bed. He looked terrible, his shirt rumpled, hair a mess. "You doin' okay?"

Whatever train of thought Yu had before that moment came to a violent, screeching halt. Morooka sighed and came around to the side of the bed, pulling a chair and sitting on it.

"I wanted to thank you," He said. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"Sir?"

Tapping on the bed railing, the teacher sighed. "Dunno if you remember, you did take a pretty bad hit to the head. But you saved my life."

Yu stared at him, then gasped, putting a hand to his head as pieces of memories filtered in. Kubo. The bottle. The fog, and knowing his homeroom teacher was going to die.

"Hey, take it easy. You're a lot worse off than I am." Then, quietly, "Not really fair, though."

Yu took a few breaths. "I think I remember. A little."

"Right." Morooka stood, pushing the chair back. "Anyway, thanks. Just wanted to say that before I left."

His head was throbbing. "Left...?"

Tapping at the arm in the sling, Morooka sighed. "I'm leaving Inaba. I think this was a clear sign that I'm not wanted here." He turned to leave. "Try not to get yourself killed, mister hero."

Then Morooka exited, and Yu slumped back against his pillows. His head ached, but relief flooded him. He did it. He managed to save someone. And if he could save one, he could save another.

\-----

Yu was released from the hospital on Wednesday, with a bottle of prescription pain killers and strict orders to stay home and rest. His cell phone was handed back to him in a plastic bag, completely crushed and in pieces. Once at home, Yu took the most careful bath of his life. His body stung as the soap found all the little cuts and scrapes the doctors had missed, unable to properly wash his face and hair and slowed by the pain in his left wrist. He hadn't seen underneath the large bandage over his eyebrow yet, but he'd caught sight of his right eye in the mirror, angry purple and swollen mostly shut.

Dry and dressed, he was then served soup and rice by Nanako, who watched him like a hawk as he ate, no matter how many times he assured her he was alright.

Sometime after five that evening, someone knocked on the door, and Dojima put down his newspaper to answer it. From his seat on the couch, Yu couldn't hear the exchange of words in the entryway, not until Dojima came back into the kitchen, muttering a curt "you've got twenty minutes." Behind him shuffled in Yosuke, his cheeks pink, a small Junes bag in his hand.

"Hi, partner," Yosuke said, his voice soft. "How are you feeling?"

Yu nodded as Yosuke came to join him on the couch, hovering on Yu's right before changing his mind and sitting on his left. He knew it was because of the ugly bandages on the other side of his face, and Yu couldn't blame him.

"I'm alright," Yu said. "A little groggy."

Yosuke gave him a little smile, though he was clearly uncomfortable, perching on the edge of the couch like he was ready to bolt any second. Yu tapped at the bag in an effort to ease the tension. "What's that?"

"Oh!" Yosuke looked down, as if he'd just remembered the bag. He grinned and fished out a package of fresh strawberries, large and bright red, with gold foil on the label. "I figured I'd bring you a pick-me-up."

"Strawberries!" Nanako cheered as she spotted the package, and Yosuke laughed, assuring her that they were for everyone. The mood lightened as his cousin went to the kitchen to fetch plates, and Yosuke took the opportunity to lean in.

"A lot happened while you've been out," he nearly whispered.

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Yosuke let out a nervous laugh. "Uh, Ted is in our world now. I'll tell you more later."

Doing his best to feign ignorance, Yu smiled as he was served a strawberry on a saucer. Yosuke stayed close as they watched the quiz show, nibbling on the sweet fruit and throwing subtle hints Nanako's way when she got stuck. When the next commercial break began, Dojima loudly cleared his throat from his chair in the kitchen, and Yosuke's smile faded.

"I should get going," he said, awkwardly standing. "When will you be back at school?"

"Friday, I hope."

"Okay." Yosuke offered to take his plate, bringing it to the kitchen sink with his own. He came back into the living room, standing at the edge of the tatami and shifting his weight. "Well, goodnight. Text me tomorrow if you're feeling up to it, yeah?"

"Can't," Yu gave a lopsided smile. "My phone's trashed. I might call you, though."

After he'd said his goodbyes to Nanako (and a very short, nervous bow to Dojima), Yosuke left, the door clicking shut after him. With a quick glance to him, Dojima instructed Nanako to go take her bath. Once she was gone, Yu was leveled with a stern gaze as his uncle pulled out a chair at the kitchen table.

"Sit."

Yu did as he was told, though standing caused him to waver slightly, caught off guard by a bit of dizziness. At the table, Dojima sat down across from him, lighting a cigarette and taking a long pull from it.

"Do you want to tell me what you were doing outside the night you got hurt?"

He was proud of how well he managed to hide his grimace. He knew this would be coming at some point. Dojima was sharp, he had to be. The real question was whether or not Yu would be able to fake his way out of being caught. He put a hand to his head and frowned.

"I'm not sure." Yu rubbed at his left temple. "The last thing I remember is washing the dishes with Nanako after dinner." It was only a half lie, really, his memories of that night filled with gaps and holes.

"Is that so?" Dojima's stare was piercing, but Yu's story wasn't completely false. He knew he'd gone out to save Morooka in the fog, but the details had become hazy little pieces that he couldn't quite fit together. "She told me you went to meet a friend."

Yu shook his head, and Dojima sighed, exhaling a long puff of smoke. "Look," he said, stamping out the cigarette. "I've told you before to stay out of trouble. There's an ongoing murder investigation right now, and beyond reporting to my sister, I'd rather not have to explain to Nanako why you're in a morgue. You get me?"

"Yes, sir."

Dojima was quiet, and Yu could hear the fixtures in the bathroom squeaking as Nanako bathed. Yu wasn't sure if he should get up, or say something else. He would be in real trouble if his uncle decided to kick him out or put him under surveillance.

With a noisy sigh, Dojima ruffled his short hair. "Well, alright. You did save Morooka's life. There were a few witnesses that saw you fight off an attacker." He stood, going for the water kettle and pulling the instant coffee from the shelf. "We'll talk about this more when you're mended up. Now go to bed."

"Yes, uncle." It wasn't even eight.

After brushing his teeth, a feat that took twice as long as it should have because of his aching head and neck, Yu swallowed one of his prescription pills and went up to his room. His futon was already laid out, the sheets freshly washed. It felt good to be back in his own bed, and he fell asleep with ease.

\-----

"Big Bro?"

He stirred, hearing his name. It was Nanako's voice, timid and high. Yu shifted around and opened an eye.

"Are you awake?"

He hauled his head off the pillow with a grunt. Nanako was sitting on her knees next to his futon. She never came into his room.

"Um, do you know where you are?"

He blinked, sitting up. "In my room...?" He felt his head, found the bandages that wound around his skull and settled over his right eye. "I came home from the hospital yesterday."

"Oh!" Nanako smiled wide. "That's good. Dad told me to wake you up and make sure you knew where you were." She stood to leave. "I have to go to school, but you should call Dad if you need anything."

Yu had to smile as she left, rubbing the sleep from his good eye and slowly standing. He felt weak and heavy, like he'd been beaten, and slowly made his way downstairs to brush his teeth and find some breakfast. To his surprise, there were several containers of food in the fridge, soup and bento and cooked rice, along with the leftover strawberries from Yosuke. Yu passed by his bottle of pain killers and, after some consideration, decided to skip them. They were strong enough to knock him out, and he wanted to be awake for a while.

He ate his reheated food and watched a bit of TV to pass time. At noon, Yu went for the house phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. It rang twice before it was picked up.

"...Uh, hello?"

Yu almost laughed at the hesitation in those words. "It's me, Yosuke."

"Partner!" There was a clattering in the background. "Hey guys, it's Yu!"

It was like a bomb went off on the other end of the line, and Yu had to pull the phone away from his ear for the cacophony of voices. He could sort of make out Rise and Kanji.

"Hey, hey! Chill out, I'll put him on speaker!" The line crackled, and Yosuke's voice came back, distant and tinny. "Okay, there."

"Hi, everyone," Yu said. He heard Rise squeal.

"Senpai!"

"How ya feelin', Senpai?"

"Ha! I knew he was tough."

"Shouldn't you be resting?"

Yu had to laugh a little at his friends. Their reactions were completely predictable and utterly welcome, making his chest feel warm in a way that negated the pain in his skull.

"I'm fine, taking it easy today. I might be back at school tomorrow."

"So soon?" Yukiko's voice. "Are you sure?"

Yu leaned back against the couch. "I hope so."

"Hey!" Chie sounded close to the microphone. "We've got something crazy to show you when you get back. It's _bear-y_ surprising."

There was a beat of silence, then Yukiko exploded in a fit of giggles that Yu couldn't help joining in a little. A little scuffling later, and Yosuke's voice was in his ear again.

"Sorry, Partner. It'll be easier to explain it in person." Yosuke's voice lowered. "Do you want anything, like from Junes? I could bring you something after my shift today."

Yu sighed. "I'm alright. My uncle stocked the fridge for me. I'm mostly looking forward to those strawberries, though."

"Oh. Um, cool, I'm glad you liked them."

In the background, Chie's voice rang out, "Yosuke's turning red! What did he say?"

Huffing a tiny laugh, Yu shifted the phone to his other ear. "I'm gonna go take a nap, I think."

"Okay, partner. Call me if you need anything."

"I will."

Yu hung up, returned the phone to the cradle, and went for his medicine.

\-----

On Friday morning, Yu returned to the hospital for another checkup. The stitches in his forehead were checked, and once the doctor was satisfied with him, he was released and taken straight to the police station to give a statement. Yu gave as much information as he could without letting on how much he really knew, describing Kubo vaguely. Dojima drove him to school for afternoon classes, his jaw set tense. As Yu left the car, Dojima gave him an stare.

"Don't talk to any reporters, and go straight home after school."

Walking into Yasogami high was like stepping into a minefield. He was set upon by nearly everyone he passed, fawned over by girls and whispered about. Kou looked relieved to see him, and Daisuke clapped him on the back a little too hard. Yosuke materialized out of nowhere and demanded to carry his bag for him up to the classroom.

In the classroom Yu met Kashiwagi, who was just as forward as ever, taking the time to walk to Yu's desk and proclaim him a hero. He didn't really care for the way she rested her fingers on his shoulder. He didn't really focus on anything in class, the lack of both contacts or glasses making it almost impossible to read the blackboard. He itched to take out his phone, only to remember that it was currently in a few hundred pieces.

After class he was escorted home by his entire group of friends, including Teddie, who was waiting by the school gates with a bouquet of flowers.

"Sensei!" He shrieked, thrusting the roses at Yu with tears in his giant blue eyes. "You're okay!"

He took the flowers and feigned surprise as Ted twirled around, showing off his new human body. Yosuke seemed exasperated, telling the bear to keep his voice down. Together they walked him home, going slowly as Yu could feel his head beginning to throb, partly from his wound and partly from the commotion. Teddie was gripping one of his arms and chattering away about topcicles and clothing and human food, while Rise clung to the other and batted her long eyelashes up at him. It took some convincing to keep them all from storming inside once they reached the Dojima house, Yosuke practically prying Ted away and following Yu through the door with a haughty "I'm his partner" in response to protests.

Yosuke sighed and leaned against a wall as Yu searched for a vase to put Ted's flowers in. "Sorry about that," he grimaced. "I told Ted like ten times to not overdo it, but y'know how he is."

"It's fine," Yu said, finding a scuffed glass pitcher in a cabinet and deciding it would do. "So he's here now? Where is he staying?"

"With me," Yosuke answered, raking his hands through his hair. "He's just sleeping on the floor in my room for now. Well, when he doesn't try to crawl into my bed. He's like a little kid."

Yu set the pitcher of water on the table and went for the scissors, snipping off the bottoms of the flower stems. "Thanks for taking him in."

"No problem," Yosuke came to the table, his hands shoved in his pockets. "Y'know, my mom and dad didn't really say anything about it. They just accepted him. Doesn't that seem weird to you?"

"Hmm. Maybe because he's not human?"

"You'd think that would make it worse. I mean, did you see his eyes? No one has eyes that blue in real life."

With the flowers in the pitcher, Yu cleaned up the stem pieces and sat down. His energy was beginning to fade, and he desperately wanted a bath. He hoped no one could tell that he hadn't washed his hair in days.

"I'll let you rest," Yosuke said, adjusting his bag strap across his chest. "You gonna be okay?"

Nodding, Yu smiled despite the growing ache behind his eyes. "I'm good, thanks."

After Yosuke was gone, Yu took two tablets of aspirin and went for the shower. It took some doing - and leaning his head backwards over the tub at an angle that made the pain even worse - but he managed to scrub his hair clean without getting his stitches wet. Feeling better, he turned on the TV and snoozed on the couch until Nanako woke him for dinner.

\-----

By Saturday, the swelling over his right eye had gone down enough that Yu could wear his glasses. He was escorted to school by Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko, who for all intents and purposes, didn't let him out of their sight all day. They studied for the upcoming exams in the library together after school, Yosuke and Chie making an obvious effort to keep their bickering to a minimum.

The walk home was another ordeal as he Yu found himself flanked by his entire party, forming a human shield around him that got stares as they walked through the town. It proved useful as Kanji told off a reporter who tried to get at Yu while in the shopping district. They ran into Naoto outside of Marukyu tofu, who was just as on point as before, noting that Morooka never appeared on TV before his now only attempted murder. Yu knew he would have to watch himself most around her; if anyone could catch on to him, it would be Naoto.

Rise brought them all to the shrine where she formally joined the Investigation Team, receiving her TV World glasses. Over his shoulder, Yu could hear Yosuke fawning over Rise and forced his face blank. It was like enduring a bad sitcom, Yu watching the boy he was crushing on have hearts in his eyes for the girl that was crushing on him.

Claiming a headache that was completely true, Yu made his way home for another round of aspirin and a nap.

\-----

With no alarm to wake him, Yu slept in on Sunday until almost ten. Once he was up, he took a trip to Junes to purchase a new cell phone. While the sales person was inputting his information, Yu realized how much of a boon it was that his cell phone was destroyed. If it hadn't been, his uncle could have easily looked at the text logs from his teammates and put him on lockdown.

New phone in hand - a light blue model with silver trim - Yu made a detour to the customer service desk to pay off the charge that Chie and Yukiko had put on Yosuke's account. He'd always felt guilty about it, thinking it was only fair to use money they earned in the TV World to pay for Teddie's clothing. The amount was still shocking, well over thirty thousand Yen, and he had to grimace a bit as he handed over the bills.

He sent out a text to the group to announce that he was back on the grid, then met with Chie and Yukiko for a study session at Aiya's. After an hour they were joined by Kou and Daisuke, and the owner didn't seem to mind them taking up an entire table as long as they kept ordering food.

Monday was Ocean Day, so classes were cancelled, and Yu was taken to the hospital by Dojima to get the stitches in his forehead removed. He could see the extent of the damage for the first time, a long gash that split his right eyebrow in half and crept up his forehead. The doctor assured him that facial scars healed quickly, but that he might have a gap in his eyebrow for a while. Most of the injury would stay hidden beneath his hair.

Yosuke and Kanji came over for a study session that evening, though half their time was spent bitching about exams and slurping sodas. Yu supposed they got at least a little bit of review time in and counted it as a success.

Tuesday the 19th marked the beginning of first term finals. Yu's head ached through them, but the tests themselves were easy, holding all the same questions he remembered. He finished his test booklets early and put his head down on his desk. Every day, at least one of his team would walk him to his front door. He had to admit the attention was nice, even though he kept insisting he was fine.

By Saturday he was worn thin, but could feel his strength returning. Rise and Kanji came to join them after classes let out, and they left school to take up space at their usual Junes food court table. The hot sun beat down on the back of Yu's neck as they compared test answers and chatted about the case. Teddie was happily working nearby, handing out balloons to children as Adachi bumbled his way through, spilling more information than he probably should have.

Once back in his room, Yu took to the task of filling out the missing days in his journal, doing his best to recall what had happened on each day the last time around. His hospitalization had cost him less than a week, but it seemed to be working out alright. Morooka was alive. Yu went to bed early that night, taking the last dose of his prescription pain pills. With his stitches out and his wrist healing, he was okay to go back to his normal routine.

\-----

After a Sunday spent being dragged around Junes by an overeager Marie, Yu returned to school on Monday for classes. Test results were posted, and he found his name at the top yet again. As Yosuke patted his back, Yu wondered if his friend would still be as happy if he knew why Yu aced the exams.

They chatted after class, and Yosuke suggested they hit the beach during summer vacation. Yu stopped in the middle of loading his bag. They'd never left Inaba the first time around except to hit up Okina for a movie. The beach did sound nice, at least until Yosuke started drooling over the idea of Rise in a swimsuit. Hiding an irritated sigh, Yu stuffed the last book in his bag and stood.

"Who are you looking forward to seeing in a swimsuit, Senpai?" Rise asked him sweetly.

"Kanji," Yu answered, keeping his expression flat. He let himself smile just a tiny bit at the choked sounds coming from his friends as he walked out of the classroom.

\-----

The last day of classes was met with rain, a light drizzle that had begun long before morning. Yu had hoped for a sunny sky so he could get more use out of his camera, having only filled two of the first four rolls he'd bought. He met up with Yosuke and Teddie on their shifts in Junes after school, then puttered around the grocery section until it was time for Yosuke's break. They went for the food court, devoid of customers from the rain, and ordered sodas and a plate of beef yakisoba to split.

"Hey," Yosuke asked between bites. "Been wanting to ask you about something."

"Hm?"

Yosuke took a long sip from his soda, then straightened his back. "The night you saved Morooka, you called me."

A flash of cold went through Yu's body. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember it in detail. "Did I?"

"Yeah." Yosuke glanced around the food court. "You really had me worried."

Putting down his chopsticks, Yu struggled to remember. "What did I say?"

Yosuke's frown was deep, and expression that Yu couldn't entirely read. "You said you were in trouble, but you wouldn't say why or how." He licked his lips. "What were you doing out there, Partner?"

While the finer points of that night were a haze, Yu remembered exactly why he'd gone out. It was the night Morooka died last time, and he wanted to prevent it if he could. Finding an explanation that would satisfy Yosuke, however, would be trickier.

"I'm not sure," he lied. "I don't remember a lot of that night. I think I..." He paused, hoping it would add credibility to his story. "I had this really bad feeling about the fog."

Yosuke was scrutinizing him. "How so?"

Yu shook his head. "I don't know. Something about how we saved Rise and the whole deal with Teddie's shadow wasn't sitting right with me."

Silence stretched between them, the rain pattering on the picnic roof above their heads as Yosuke processed the information. He eventually nodded, though he still didn't look entirely convinced, his eyebrows knit in the center. "Do you remember who attacked Morooka?"

At least that he could answer. "It was that one guy that hit on Yukiko at the start of school."

"The creepy dude?" Yosuke pulled out his phone. "I remember him! You sure?"

"I think so."

Then Yosuke started tapping furiously at his phone, most likely texting the group. He seemed to have bought Yu's story. He was worried about Naoto, but now it seemed that his biggest problem would be underestimating the strategist of the group. He _loathed_ lying to him, but he couldn't risk telling them the truth. It could potentially destroy their bond of trust, and then the group would fall apart, and everything he was working towards changing would crumble.

It was still raining at midnight, and Kubo appeared on Yu's TV, with his bizarre eyes and a sour grin.

"Do you think you all know me?" he challenged. "Then come and catch me."

Yu glared at the screen, his forehead throbbing once, and opened his phone.


	14. Summer break part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> STILL GOING. Thanks so much for all the great comments! They're what keep me writing this thing that I refer to as The Gigafic.

The streets of the shopping district were full of students the following day, enjoying the first day of their summer break in shorts and sandals. Despite the overcast sky, it was still hot and muggy, the air thick with last night's rain that steamed off the warm pavement.

Yu's eye had finally healed, only a tiny smudge of darker skin beneath his tear duct left as an indication of his injury. His left wrist was mended as well, at least enough that he could leave the brace at home as he went for the Junes roof to discuss Kubo. The scene played out much the same, except they referenced Morooka's 'attack' instead of 'murder.' Yu gave as many details as he could, frowning when Rise and Teddie still couldn't locate Kubo in the TV World. They split up to find info, and Yu groaned, wishing he could at least remember Kubo’s first name.

After a good hour of scanning the town, Kanji suggested that Yu ask his uncle. He immediately dismissed the idea, knowing he was already on thin ice, and any further provocation could sink him. Instead, Yu sent out a text to search for Adachi, hoping the loose-lipped detective would be a better bet. After another hour and several strings of texts, no one could find him. Yu sighed and closed his phone, trudging back to the Dojima house with the beginning of a headache tugging behind his ear.

\-----

When Yu finally located Adachi the next day, he was more than irritated - mostly at himself for not remembering how the events played out, sending him on another wild chase for information. He finally located Kubo’s classmate, handing out copies of his awkward school photo with his full name printed at the bottom. He texted the group to meet at the Junes food court, stopping at a vending machine to buy himself a drink to stave off the heat.

With his photo and full name, Rise and Himiko were able to locate Kubo with ease. Yu was trying his hardest to hide his foul mood as Teddie handed him a new pair of glasses; he didn’t want to go into Kubo’s game world. He didn't want to fight shadows, or go through the maze, or any of it. He wanted to spend time with his team, not risk all of their lives. It must have shown anyway, since Yukiko spoke up.

“Hey, are you okay?” She put a hand on Yu’s arm. “You seem tense. Are you sure you’re well enough to fight?”

The whole group stopped, eyes trained on him. The scar in Yu’s forehead itched.

“I’m alright,” he said. “Just… frustrated that we have to do this.”

To his left, Yosuke let out a noisy sigh. “I hear that. Let’s just get in there and get ‘im.”

With Yosuke, Chie, and Teddie on the front lines, they tackled the first five floors of Void Quest. It was difficult at first, his sword too heavy in his hands and his shoulders aching from weeks of sitting around. But by the end of the second floor, Yu was loosening up, swinging his blade with confidence. It helped having Personas that were far stronger than the shadows that lurked through the game world.

“Let’s stop here,” he said, rubbing at the back of his neck. He would be sore the next morning.

“Are we coming back tomorrow?” Yukiko asked, fanning herself. Chie groaned.

“Can we not? Tomorrow’s my birthday, and my parents made plans.”

That did make Yu smile as he put his sword away. “All right, everyone break tomorrow. We’ll resume on Sunday.”

\-----

Saturday was a full day in its own right. Breakfast with Nanako, then a trip on his scooter. He took the long way to Okina, stopping often to snap photos of the countryside. He’d finished another roll by the time he reached the city, grabbing another pack of film along with a gift card to a video store for Chie. He’d considered grabbing a Kung Fu DVD for her, but there was no way for him to know which ones she already had.

Yu met up with Chie and Yukiko at Aiya’s just as the sun was setting, and together they ordered Mega Beef Bowls and piled the table with cards and gifts. Eventually they were joined by Yosuke, Teddie, Kanji, and Rise, and their combined laughter filled the tiny restaurant. Yu got even more use out of his camera, filling a roll with snapshots of his friends as they bickered, laughed, and shoved food at each other. Teddie crafted a paper hat from a napkin and gave it to Chie, who reluctantly placed it on top of her hair and smiled awkwardly for the a photo.

They left the restaurant well after dark and went their separate ways, with a promise to meet at Junes the next morning.

\-----

The door to Kubo and his shadow finally before them, Yu did a mental check of his Personas. He’d taken a trip to the Velvet Room to summon Surt and Sigfried for this fight, recalling how it had exhausted them all last time.

“Be ready for anything,” he warned, and pushed through.

Inside, Kubo was stubbornly arguing with his silent Shadow, continuing to persist that he murdered the first two victims. It was pathetic and, in a sad way, relatable - the way Kubo’s shadow repeated that he was nothing. Yu knew what that felt like once.

“I’ll kill you!” Kubo roared at them. “I’ll kill you all!”

The Shadow reared up, and it began.

Chie was making a vague gagging sound at the sight of the deformed baby that Kubo’s Shadow transformed into, and Yu almost wanted to laugh. The battle, however, was frustrating. Knowing what to do didn’t change the fact that they had to chip away at the Shadow’s outer armor before they could do any damage to it at all. Yukiko fell mid-way through, collapsing after a hard blow. Yosuke was on her in a heartbeat with a Revival Bead as Yu readied another round of healing magic, his vision blurring. By the end of the battle, he felt hollow and wrung out, like his guts had been bled dry enough to make his throat stick.

Yosuke was seething as they dragged Kubo out of the TV and into Junes, Kanji’s strong grip the only thing keeping his fist from connecting with Kubo’s face. He couldn’t blame him. As far as Yosuke knew, Kubo was the one who killed Saki Konishi.

As Yosuke pulled his phone to dial the police, Yu’s left knee gave out, and he crumpled to the floor.

He ended up in the Food Court, a little hazy on how exactly he got there. A cold sports drink was pushed into his hand, a voice urging him to drink. His head was throbbing but he obeyed, grimacing. He hated this flavor.

“You okay?” Rise’s voice, close to his left side. Yu nodded, the motion half automatic.

“Maybe he’s not fully recovered yet.” Chie? Or maybe Teddie?

“I’m alright,” Yu said, wincing at how thin and reedy his voice was.

He could tell his friends weren’t convinced, but quickly changed the topic anyway. Yu only half listened as they made plans to celebrate the end of their investigation. If they only knew how much more there was to it.

The drink soothed his parched throat enough that he agreed to the cooking battle, if for no other reason than to give Nanako a fun memory. Except the whole ordeal with Rise’s weapons-grade spicy omelette. He might have to intervene on that one.

By the time he was whisking eggs in the Dojima kitchen, Yu was feeling mostly normal, due in part to a full dose of aspirin and a chance to wash his face. He didn’t miss how Yosuke watched him, Yu chewing his lip as his neck went hot under his friend’s scrutinizing gaze. He told himself it was just his partner being worried, pushing his paranoia away to quickly caramelize a chopped onion. In the background, Yu could hear Teddie and Nanako making promises to each other, and smiled.

The omelettes were ready and the tasting began. The girl’s creations were just as horrid and bizarre, but Yu found himself laughing, even at Chie’s mealy attempt at scrambled eggs. Nanako, bless her heart, complimented each dish as though she really meant it. By the time they got to Yu’s, there were a few physical altercations involving spoons over who would get the biggest portions.

“Hey, I’ve got an idea!” Yosuke proclaimed, standing. “How about we all hit the summer festival together?”

The suggestion was accepted, and that was that. The group dispersed, Yosuke staying behind to help do the dishes. Rise took her time saying goodbye, lingering in the entryway with her shoes in her hand until she finally bid Yu goodnight and slid out the door.

A wave of exhaustion overtook Yu as he stumbled back to the kitchen, dropping into one of the chairs. Nanako stopped rinsing dishes and turned to him.

“Are you okay, Big Bro? Do you need some medicine?”

He shook his head. “I’m just tired.”

Nanako regarded him for a moment before going back to her seat in the living room and switching on the TV. The sink faucet shut off with a squeak, and Yosuke put the last clean dish in the drying rack. “Hey,” he said, drying his hands with a towel. “You sure you’re alright? You look kinda pale.”

Yu smiled and leaned heavily against the table. “Today was… a lot. I just need to rest.”

It was quiet enough for Yu to hear the ringing in his ears, high and sharp, and he closed his eyes against it. Something touched his forehead, sliding into his hair and pushing it aside.

“That scar’s pretty deep.”

Dragging his eyelids open, Yu’s vision was filled with Yosuke’s wrinkled, waterlogged fingers, moving back and forth over the notch in his eyebrow. It felt nice, Yosuke’s hand cool from washing dishes, drawing a little pattern along the scar.

Yosuke’s tongue clicked. “You might have a fever. You should probably go to bed.”

Yu nodded, his strength finally gone. Yosuke helped him up the stairs before seeing himself out. With a long sigh, Yu shrugged out of his clothes and collapsed into his futon.

\-----

With the start of summer vacation, Yu had the luxury of sleeping in the next morning. Before going downstairs for a shower, he pulled out the leather journal to catch up with recent events. He frowned at his sloppy handwriting in the recent entries. When he first started keeping track, his notes were neat and detailed. Now, they were chicken scratch, bullet points in barely-legible kanji that didn’t even stay in the lines. Yu sighed and picked up a pen, determined to take his time.

It was an hour before he finished, stomach rumbling loud enough to echo through his room. He closed the journal and stashed it away, ready to spend the summer with his with the people he cared about most.

The week was full to bursting, just as he’d hoped. Every afternoon was dedicated to his friends; helping Kou with the letter from the orphanage, fending off local bullies with Chie, working with Eri to help her become closer to her stepson, fulfilling the Fox’s requests.  At night he worked at the hospital where a weary Sayoko kept a close watch on him, or tutored Shu in his home, or gardened with Nanako. He went to sleep tired at the end of each day, but he welcomed the ache. It was so much easier to tend to the needs of the people around him this time. He made a detour to Okina one cloudy morning for a much-needed haircut. The stylist clearly noticed the fresh scar on his forehead, but chose not to comment. Before he left, he dropped off his four rolls of film for development at a local photography shop. It was pricey, but he knew having the physical pictures to hold and share would be worth it.

Yu was awoken on Saturday morning by a text from Yosuke, urging him to come to the Samegawa to talk. With a sigh, he dressed and made his way to the riverbank.

Watching his best friend break down into tears wasn’t any easier the second time. Yosuke was sobbing out loud, puffy-faced and crushing Saki’s print club photo in his sweaty hand. The first time he’d seen this, he’d been too shy, keeping his distance from Yosuke in an attempt to protect his newly discovered affection. He was braver now.

Yosuke let out a high squeak as Yu wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him close. Yu could feel the tears wetting his shoulder as Yosuke protested, but didn’t try to get away, eventually clinging to his polo as he continued crying. It took a long time for him to calm down, wiping his nose with the back of his hand as he tugged himself out of Yu’s arms.

“Sorry,” Yosuke sniffled loudly, his face red and tear streaked. “I think I got snot all over your shirt.”

Yu shook his head, reaching out to smooth down some of Yosuke’s hair. “It’s fine.”

They walked to the Hanamura home in silence. Yu wanted to put an arm around Yosuke’s shoulder, or hold his hand, but he didn’t dare.

\-----

On a rainy Tuesday, Yu gassed up the scooter and went for a long ride down the main road, the drizzle drummed against his goggles and light jacket. He came to a fork with a sign for a beach, and he turned off, curious. The route took him down a twisting mountain trail, but after some time, the road opened up to a spacious view of the ocean.

There was a little parking area by the beach, so Yu stopped and turned off the engine. The rain had lessened enough that he felt comfortable taking off his jacket as he went down to the coarse sand. It was quiet here, even more so than the town, so Yu took a seat near the stairs and listened to the sea lap upon the shore.

When he returned home, Yu found himself on salad duty as Nanako washed rice in the sink, singing a song she’d learned in school.

“Do you think Dad will like the marinade?”

Yu put aside the diced tomato, one from Nanako’s garden, and smiled as he went for a carrot. “I’m sure he will. He liked the pickled garlic we used for the pork that one time, right?”

“Yeah!”

Nanako went back to her singing as she started the rice cooker. It was a song Yu remembered from his elementary days, so he hummed a harmony for her as he put the now assembled salad aside.

“Oh!” Nanako closed the fridge quickly. “I have something for you!”

She dashed back to her room, nearly slipping in her socks on the wood floor. When Nanako returned to the kitchen, she eagerly thrust a photo into his hands. In it, a younger Nanako smiled, along with Dojima and a woman he didn’t recognize. Chisato, Nanako’s mother, before her passing. They all looked happy together.

“It’s a family photo,” Nanako said proudly. “Dad made extra copies, and since you’re family, you should have one, too!”

Yu held the photo to his chest. “Thank you, Nanako.”

She beamed up at him. “I love you, Big Bro!”

Time slowed, and Nanako was surrounded with light. Yu could feel her link, the door to her heart opening and flooding him with warmth. He never had time to complete Nanako’s link before, too busy with other things, avoiding her when he should have been making time for her.

Yu kneeled to hug her. “I love you too, Nanako.”

He gave her a final squeeze before letting go, reaffirming his promise to himself. He wouldn’t fail her this time.

“We should hurry, or the food won’t be ready before Dad gets home!”

Yu patted her head and stood. “Alright, let’s get the beef cooking.”

\-----

It was cloudy the following Sunday, giving Yu and Yosuke a slight break from the heat as they walked up the path that wound through the southern woods. Once at the top, they set their bags down on the picnic tables by the gazebo and took turns pointing out local landmarks. From up here, Yu could see the Dojima house, the faded grey roof tiles and familiar shape nestled into the town.

“This town really is tiny, huh?” Yosuke said, a serious tone creeping into his voice. “I used to hate it.”

Yu patted his back. He’d heard this conversation before, just before Yosuke cut him out of his life. “That’s understandable,” Yu said.

“But I don’t anymore,” Yosuke added, smiling sadly. “It took me long enough to figure out. I wish... I wish I could tell that to Saki-senpai.”

Yu listened to Yosuke, not interrupting his heartfelt speech. His friend had grown so much in just a few months, his new maturity visible in the way he held his shoulders and the strength in his voice.

“Just living your life… before you know it, you’re special to someone.” Yosuke turned to face him, his cheeks going pink. A few more freckles had sprung up around the bridge of his nose as the summer sun tanned his skin. “Like you. You’re special to me, y’know?”

Leaning against the wooden fence, Yu gave Yosuke his warmest smile. “Likewise, partner.”

If they were in a movie, this would be the moment where Yu asks Yosuke out. Maybe music would play. But this was real life, and Yu knew better. He’d been down that road, and it only ended in heartbreak. So instead, he gave Yosuke a pat on the shoulder as they looked out at the town, spotting each other houses from a distance.

Yu went home moderately satisfied. Yosuke wasn’t his, but that wasn’t the point.

Adachi was over for dinner that night, and Yu did his best to humor the man as they celebrated the end of the case with sushi and beer. His uncle was already plastered halfway through the food, and Yu ended up helping Adachi put him to bed before washing the dishes. It wasn’t over yet.

\-----

Yu was awoken by a frantic phone call the next morning from Yosuke, begging him to help at Junes for the week. He was almost groggy enough to say no this time. Almost.

Stocking shelves and tending the food court wasn’t so bad, though the bland elevator music that played non stop through the Junes speakers quickly became old. The work also helped Yu to regain some of his lost stamina, bending and lifting crates of produce and boxes of instant meals. Chie was there every day except Wednesday, and Teddie kept up the pace as he worked the griddle in the heat. Yu used his temporary employee discount well and brought home treats for Nanako every day: melon slices, strawberries, fresh baked cookies, and her favorite shrimp crackers. Dojima gave him a pleased smile each time, nodding his approval. True to his word, Yosuke bought him lunch daily, and they ate in the air conditioned employee room on Friday.

“The summer festival starts tomorrow,” Yosuke said between bites of his steak sandwich. “You gonna bring Nanako?”

Yu took a drink from his lemonade. “I think Dojima was planning on that.”

“Cool, cool. I’m trying to get everyone together at around eight. Sound good to you?”

“Perfect.”

He walked home in the fading sun, tempted to jump into the river to cool off. Yu settled for a cold bath before dinner, noticing the faintest of pink on his nose and cheekbones from a week in the sun. Nanako was pulling her yukaka out of storage to make sure it still fit, singing a festival song to herself.

\-----

They arrived at the shrine early, finding it depressingly devoid of patrons despite the cheerful music and smell of food. A few elderly folks mingled by the griddles while small children played with tiny sparklers nearby. Yosuke sighed.

“Man, it’s so dead this year...”

Yu smiled and patted his shoulder. “We can still have fun.”

“I smell something delicious!” Teddie bounced in place. “Let’s get some food!”

They stopped at every stand, and for as tiny as the festival was, there was an impressive array of snacks - grilled squid, candied apples, shaved ice, roasted corn, as well as yakisoba and dango. Teddie was beside himself with joy as he demanded to sample each one, and Yu and Yosuke couldn’t help but indulge him. Mostly Yu, given how pitiful Yosuke’s recent paychecks had been.

By the time the girls finally arrived, with Nanako in tow, Yu was on his second helping of shaved ice to keep the persistent summer heat at bay. His cousin had a bag of cotton candy nearly as big as herself and just as pink as her yukata sash. He told the girls they all looked lovely, despite how Rise was attempting to latch on to him.

Yu had hoped this version of the festival could be a little more fun than the last one, but as soon as Teddie suggested they pair off into couples, it all unraveled. He tried to make a case for them sticking together in a group, but it was hopeless, and soon Teddie was walking off with Yukiko, Rise, and Chie while Kanji wandered off somewhere on his own.

“Jeeze…” Yosuke pouted, frowning at his roasted corn cob. “What a let-down.”

It would be a lie to say that he wasn’t happy to end up alone with Yosuke, but Yu did his best to look at least sort of disappointed, and patted his friend’s back. “Why don’t we get some sweets and play the yo-yo balloon game?”

Yosuke sputtered mid-bite, a piece of corn flying from his mouth. “Dude. That game’s for little kids.”

“So?”

Narrowing his eyes, Yosuke searched his face. “You are so weird, Partner.”

Yosuke followed him anyway, down the rows of stalls. Yu bought him a soda and played a round of yo-yo balloons for himself while a group of elementary kids giggled at him. He convinced Yosuke to try it once, his friend blushing with embarrassment even as he snagged a red and gold balloon on his hook. Yu traded it in for a prize, a small stuffed bunny keychain, cheaply made with a lopsided face and mismatched ears. He gave it to Yosuke, who turned even redder as he stuffed it into his pocket, glancing around nervously.

Two orders of grilled squid, a plate of takoyaki, two pieces of hilariously misshapen taiyaki, a hot dog each and a third helping of shaved ice later, Yu and Yosuke sat on the steps of the shrine, a bag of yellow and blue cotton candy between them while they slurped at the last of their sodas. The festival had mostly closed, the vendors extinguishing their grills and turning off the lights.

“We’re going to be so sick later,” Yu commented, stuffing more cotton candy into his mouth.

Yosuke burped, capping his soda. “Worth it.”

Leaning back on the stairs, Yu looked up at the sky. More stars could be seen now that the lights of the festival had died down, twinkling against dark blue, fading out near the horizon where the glow of Inaba’s street lights was brightest.

“Y’know,” Yosuke began quietly. “I thought Ted was talking out of his ass when he said all that stuff about making summer memories. But… this was cool.”

Yu glanced his way, cocking an eyebrow. “Even when I won you that sticker in the ring toss?”

Groaning, Yosuke peeled the cartoon pineapple from where Yu had stuck it to the front of his shirt. “Oh my god. You are the weirdest, I swear.”

“Maybe. But I’m your partner.”

Yosuke wadded up the sticker and threw it at Yu’s head. “Yeah, yeah.”

They sat in comfortable silence as a few remaining patrons walked out of the shrine. The atmosphere would have been perfect for a date. The town had gone mostly quiet, crickets and frogs now providing the background noise. A light breeze was blowing, enough to relieve the heat. Nearly alone, stars above them. But it wasn’t a date, no matter what sort of wishful thinking Yu did.

“Hey,” Yosuke broke through his thoughts with a tap on his arm. “Quit that.”

Yu blinked, raising his eyebrows. “Hm?”

Yosuke sat up and pointed at Yu’s mouth. “You’re biting your lip again.” He poked Yu’s cheek with one finger. “You always do that when you’re thinking too hard.”

He froze, and released the chunk of lip he’d been absentmindedly chewing on. “...Oh.”

Shaking his head, Yosuke stood up, dusting off his jeans. “We should probably head home, it’s late.”

Yu sighed and stood, closing the bag of cotton candy. “Here, give the last of this to Ted.”

Yu walked Yosuke home, his friend yawning widely, then went home. Nanako was already in bed, Dojima snoozing on the couch while the TV played reruns of sitcoms. He could already feel his stomach rebelling against the copious amounts of sugar and salt from the festival, and made himself a cup of ginger tea to quiet it. Yosuke had been right, though. It really was worth it.

\-----

It was mostly worth it.

Yu awoke with such nausea that he pondered vomiting just to feel better. Instead, he chose to eat several bites of pickled ginger straight from the jar in the fridge and made himself a cup of tea, leaning over it at the kitchen table as he willed the contents of his stomach to stay put.

It took an hour, but he finally felt well enough to eat, choosing a bowl of rice porridge over his usual eggs and toast. His phone went off, and it was Rise, inviting him out to the festival for the final night. He didn’t remember going out for a second night last time, but shrugged and agreed anyway.

He helped Nanako hang up the laundry before setting out to meet with Rise, the sun hanging low in the sky. There were more children at the festival this time, running around with candy and snacks, triumphantly holding plastic bags of goldfish. Rise met him at the entrance, in her pink yukata with white butterflies and makeup on her face.

“Hey!” her sandals clicked on the cobblestone as she went to his side, looping both of her arms around one of his. She was wearing perfume, something floral. “Thanks for coming. I was hoping we could spend some time at the festival… just the two of us.”

Yu’s face twitched, but he let Rise lead him around the shrine. They ate candied apples and watched an elderly couple dance under the lanterns. Rise played games while Yu watched, and despite what happened to his stomach the night before, Yu bought an okonomiyaki for them to split. Then they went to the shrine’s alter, Yu clapping his hands twice as he prayed for the strength and wisdom to save Nanako.

As they went to leave, Rise stopped them near the entrance to the shrine. “Hey, Senpai?” She asked, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. “I’m glad we could spend some time together. You know, I really wanted to pair off with you last night.”

“Oh.” Yu fidgeted. “Did you have fun anyway?”

Rise shrugged. “Sort of. Teddie’s a handful, but hanging out with Yukiko and Chie was cool.” She played with one of her pigtails. “Did you have fun without us?”

Balloon fishing and gorging on junk food came to his mind, and Yu smiled. “Yeah, I did.”

“Hm?” Rise gave him an odd look. “What’d you do?”

Shrugging, Yu put his hands in his pockets, remembering how embarrassed Yosuke had been to get the keychain prize. “Just… hung out with Yosuke.”

He was too busy enjoying the memory of the night before that it took him a second to notice how Rise was examining him, like she was cataloguing his face. Then she blinked, and frowned a little, moving back.

“Ah,” she said, a sad smile tugging on her lips. “That’s what it is.”

Her gaze was unnerving, and Yu took his hands out of his pockets and faced her. “What is…?”

Rise looked around, then stepped closer. “It’s Yosuke-senpai. Isn’t it?”

Yu felt a cold sweat prickle up on his back. He didn’t like the look Rise was giving him. “What do you mean?”

Tucking some hair behind her ear, Rise sighed. “I could kinda tell that you weren’t interested in me. But... it’s him, right? Your face really lit up just now, when you mentioned Yosuke.”

Yu took a step back, gaping at her. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. _Play it off, say something weird, do something,_ his mind screamed, but he was frozen in place.

“Plus, y’know,” Rise continued. “There’s the whole telepathic connection thing we have in the TV World, remember? With Himiko, I can sort of feel what everyone’s feeling, and…” She gestured vaguely.

Yu huffed a laugh, slightly bitter, and rubbed at his forehead. He’d been so careful about guarding himself and his feelings, keeping it hidden and safe where it couldn’t wreck the best friendship he’d ever had for a second time. But he hadn’t considered Rise. Or he’d underestimated her. Either way, she’d found him out, and he didn’t have the willpower to come up with an excuse or lie his way out of it.

“Don’t tell anyone,” he said meekly. “Don’t tell him.”

Rise blinked, then smiled. “I won’t, senpai. And it’s your business but… I think you should.”

“No.” He stated flatly, then turned to leave. “Trust me, that’s not a good idea.”

She didn’t press the issue, and Yu went home in a sour mood. He took a bath and scrubbed at his hair angrily, though he wasn’t even sure what he was angry about. Being found out? Knowing he couldn’t have him? Wishing he could just get over Yosuke and go out with someone who actually wanted him? Maybe it was all of the above. He made a note of it in his journal and popped a melatonin tablet, knowing he’d never get to sleep without it, and buried his face in his pillow to ignore the sting in his eyes.


	15. End of Summer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It lives! Thanks so much for all the comments on the fic so far, they're what keep me going! The last few months were crazy for me IRL so it was hard to find time to write. But I'm not giving up.
> 
> This chapter is unbeta'd, so I'd appreciate feedback!

It wasn’t surprising that Yu awoke with a headache the next morning, rolling over in his bed to kick off the sheet and stare at the ceiling. Rise’s discovery had thrown a spanner into what was already a poorly constructed plan to fix the mistakes he’d made the first time around, and now Yu was doubting himself all over again. It wasn’t that he thought Rise would out him - he knew she could keep a secret - but it was that anyone had discovered at all. Yu prided himself on his privacy and independence, and he took it as a sign that he was slipping up. Getting sloppy. And getting sloppy could end up getting one of them killed.

Sitting up, he ran a hand through his hair, damp with sweat. He never thought he’d miss his parent’s apartment so much, but the lack of air conditioning in the sweltering summer heat had him showering twice most days.

After a late breakfast and helping Nanako hang up laundry, Yu made his way to the hill overlooking the town for daycare. Hours were extended due to the kids being on summer break, so Yu had an extra two hours of being yanked, yelled at, chased, spitballed and kicked. He had to break up near fights with Yuuta almost twice, the boy’s frustrations with his homelife showing more and more. He walked Yuuta halfway home, where they met Eri. The rift between her and her stepson seemed as deep as ever.

“You know,” Yu said after Yuuta had run off, “He feels left out because he doesn’t get to watch Featherman R like the other kids.”

Eri cocked her head. “He does?”

“Yeah,” Yu nodded. “Maybe watch it with him sometime?”

She seemed to consider this, and Yu bid her farewell.

 

\-----

 

It was barely past seven in the morning when Yu’s phone went off, Yosuke’s number flashing on the screen. Yu put down his towel, finished drying off from his morning rinse, and answered.

“Hey partner!” Yosuke’s excitement came through the line. “Y’know how I mentioned going to the beach? Why not go today?”

It had Yu sputtering for a response for a minute before agreeing. Set to meet with everyone at the edge of town, he scrambled to dig out his swimsuit, passing by the one Dojima bought him for the trunks he already owned. It wasn’t that the new suit was ugly, but it was definitely made for someone with shorter legs and left Yu feeling a little… exposed.

After a quick stop to make sure his scooter’s gas tank was topped off, Yu found himself at the back of the line as they rode up a winding route through the mountain, led by Chie. The sun was already hot, beating down on them as the drove, the wind providing some relief. It took a good thirty minutes, but finally the trees parted and the glimmer of the ocean came into view, sparkling in the sun. It was nothing like the dreary scene Yu had taken in that rainy day when he’d found the beach by accident.

They changed into swimsuits in the public restroom nearby, Yu catching his reflection and being satisfied with his build, having regained most of the muscle he had the first time around. The beach was already occupied when the arrived, several people who looked to be their age spreading out beach towels and taking inflatable toys into the water.

One minor freakout on Yosuke’s part later (Kanji’s speedo proved a bit too much for him to handle), they were all in the water, splashing, dunking, and racing. Yu found out that Yukiko wasn’t a strong swimmer and offered to teach her, while Yosuke and Rise played in the deeper water. Focusing on Yukiko’s swimming lessons gave Yu an excuse to ignore how Yosuke was giving Rise nonstop sweet eyes as he pushed her around in an inflatable ring.

When Kanji lost his swimsuit, Yu had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing out loud at the sheer absurdity, watching Yosuke scramble to find something to cover Kanji’s shame. Once that was out of the way, they sat on the sand together and ate snacks, sitting in the shade of the wave breakers that littered the beach.

As the sun sunk towards the ocean, Yu stood on the sidewalk overlooking the beach with Kanji and Yosuke while the girls and Teddie scrambled to make one last sand castle. While they chatted, he watched Yosuke, with his sun-kissed cheekbones and shoulders, hair shining in the golden light, talking about something but Yu couldn’t really hear. Yosuke stopped, eyebrows raised, and looked right back at him.

“You okay, Partner?”

Yu blinked, caught, and laughed nervously. “Yeah, just, uh. We’re all gonna be sunburned tomorrow.”

Yosuke did a visual check of his arms and shoulders, and Yu wondered if his blush was showing. He might as well have been on another planet with how his entire brain focused in on Yosuke. He was in deep.

“We should go skiing this winter!” Yosuke suggested as they packed up their belongings. Now there was an idea. Yu hadn’t been skiing since elementary school, his parents too busy with work to take him when he was younger, and no friends to go with later on. He agreed, and they rode back to town in a line, making it back just before dark.

 

\-----

 

Unable to put it off any longer, Yu spent the rest of the week at the living room table with Nanako, finishing their respective summer homework. He helped Nanako with hers when she needed it, reminding her of the weather and walking her through journal entries. Yu finished his with ease, and each night, one of his friends came over for a short visit. Yukiko brought over some green tea cakes from the Amagi inn, which Nanako loved but were a little too sweet for Yu. Yosuke’s face had become peppered with freckles, a tiny spray of fine spots across his nose and cheekbones. Yu stared, watching the dots shift as Yosuke laughed at Nanako’s jokes. And when Yosuke noticed, Yu played it off expertly.

It was Chie who called him the next day to suggest they go to the fireworks festival. Yu was fairly certain that there hadn’t been one last time around, or he’d at least missed it. He invited Nanako as they spent the afternoon cleaning the house.

That night saw a slight break in the heat as Yu left, crickets replacing the choir of cicadas as he made his way to the meeting spot. Yukiko and Chie were already there, laughing about some movie they’d seen. They chatted together until Kanji showed up, followed by a very sullen Yosuke who kept his hands stuffed in his pockets.

“What’s eating you?” Chie poked at him as they walked towards the hill.

“Teddie,” Yosuke sneered. “The jerk went through some of my private stuff and waved it around for my parents at breakfast this morning. Ugh.”

It took a second to figure out that Yosuke was, in fact, referring to his stash of dirty magazines - ones that Yu had never seen but knew existed, ever since the day his friend had gone digging under Yu’s futon and was disappointed to find nothing. No wonder Yosuke was so irate. Rise chided him with a click of her tongue.

“You’re really insensitive, Yosuke,” she said, glancing between him and Yu. “You know that?”

Yosuke rolled his eyes while Yu quickly looked away.

They made their way to the top of the hill, and soon after Nanako and Dojima showed up, and then a very ruffled Teddie. Despite Yosuke glaring daggers at the bear, they all lined up and faced the river, waiting. The fireworks were so much bigger than Yu figured a small town’s would be, lighting up the night sky with bright red and yellow, booming loud enough to make even Kanji flinch. They clapped and cheered, and for just a moment, when he was sure he wouldn’t be caught, Yu watched the reflection of the fireworks in Yosuke’s eyes. After he looked away, he thought he could see Yosuke turn to look at him from the corner of his eye, but kept his gaze locked on the night sky.

Dojima took a very sleepy Nanako home after the fireworks were done, they stood around and chatted about school and the end of summer, and a little about Naoto. She would be at school next term, Yu remembered. Teddie made fun of Yosuke for the magazine incident again, and this time Yu had to laugh a little at their expense.

“You really only care about girls, huh Yosuke?”

With a curl of his lip, Yosuke glared. “Like you’re any different.”

Yu sighed with a small smile. They went to leave slowly, as if they didn’t want to leave summer behind, saying long goodbyes. Chie and Yukiko walked off together, and Kanji gave a wave as he went in the other direction. Yosuke grumbled for Teddie to hurry up, walking in the direction of his house. Ted looked back at Yu.

“Hang in there, sensei,” he said, then skipped to join Yosuke.

Yu’s jaw dropped as he watched them leave, shooting a glance at Rise who only shook her head and shrugged. Yu slumped in place, turning to make his way back to the Dojima house. Sloppy. If  _ Teddie _ had figured it out, he really was getting careless.

Yu recorded the day’s events before attempting to sleep, the melatonin tablets doing nothing to relieve his insomnia.

 

\-----

 

The next day Dojima brought home a watermelon, and at least that was the same as last time. With all his friends crammed into the living room and spilling out into the yard, they ate the bright red slices, the fruit slightly warm but still sweet. Nanako was happily chewing a piece until she stopped, frowning.

“Big bro?”

Yu smiled at her. “Yes?”

He could see her toes wiggling, a sign that Nanako was concentrating. “Will you come visit next summer if we get another watermelon?”

The mood in the room darkened, each of his friends lowering their slices. Rise was glancing around in confusion.

“That’s right,” Yosuke said from his seat at the table. “You’re only here for one year.”

Yu heard Rise gasp, and patted Nanako’s back. “Of course I will,” he said, proud of how even he was able to make his voice despite his closing throat. “I’ll visit all the time.”

Nanako looked up at him, her big brown eyes shining. “Promise?”

Holding out his pinky finger, Yu smiled. “I promise.”

Nanako grinned wide and hooked her tiny pinky with his, sealing their oath. Kanji made a considerable effort to steer the conversation into more light hearted territory again, suggesting get-togethers for Golden Week, summer break, and beyond. It seemed to work, everyone chiming in with ideas for outings and trips: camping, the beach, long road trips. It helped ease the way Yu’s heart was clenching in his chest.

The sun was setting by the time everyone began leaving. Yosuke stayed behind again, and they went up to Yu’s room. It was a bit messy from all the summer homework, with books, worksheets, and notebooks strewn all over the work table. He’d left the leather journal out on his desk, and quickly moved to cover it with a stack of papers.

“That was a fun summer,” Yosuke commented, scanning the shelf where the model robots sat on display.

Yu sat in his chair with a squeak and smiled. “Why did you want to smack open the watermelon so bad?”

Yosuke blinked, then laughed. “Oh come on. It’s the best! It’s like - like opening a present you can eat.” He turned back to the TV stand, picking up a DVD case and turning it over. “It’s a must for a proper summer experience.”

Shaking his head, Yu glanced over the pile of work on the desk. “I hope you finished your homework, at least.”

There was no response. Looking up, he spotted Yosuke, standing by the TV. In his hands was the bottle of melatonin tablets, which Yu had left out the night before. He stared at the bottle with a deep frown on his face, then looked up. “Partner?”

Yu stood, half wanting to cross the room and snatch the bottle away. Instead, he took a breath. “I, uh. Have trouble sleeping sometimes.”

Yosuke was looking him up and down with an unsettlingly piercing gaze. “This is the really strong stuff,” he said, his voice quiet.

At a loss for words, Yu just stood in silence, his cheeks warm. He hadn’t wanted anyone to know.

“Hey.” Yosuke’s voice broke through. “I know you’re not one to talk a lot, but like, if you need help, you can ask, y’know?” He took a few steps closer. “I’m your partner. Lean on me sometimes.”

Yu just stood there, shifting his weight, embarrassed. He knew Yosuke was right, but still hated admitting it.

“Okay.”

After Yosuke left, Yu took the bottle and tossed it into the bottom drawer of his dresser, shutting it tightly. He stared at the ceiling until the sunlight was peeking through the curtains, his mind refusing to shut down.

 

\-----

 

Yu was groggy and irritable the next morning as he made his way to Yasogami high for the beginning of second term. His friends met him at the gates and familiar greetings were exchanged. Naoto was at the school, dressed in a boy’s uniform with the pants rolled up at the bottom. Yu held his tongue, not trusting himself to give her secret away in his tired state.

School dragged on as they handed in their summer homework and listened to the same first-day lectures from nearly every teacher. After a while Yu folded his arms on his desk and dropped his head into them, unable to keep his eyes open any longer.

After school (and another run-in with Naoto), they went to Junes to discuss the upcoming class trip. Yu doubted he could change much about that particular scenario, as the trip plans were beyond his reach. He remembered the club, how they all got “drunk” but not really, and smiled.

Working at the hospital that night was almost a mistake, fatigue catching up with Yu, making him drop his cleaning supplies more than once. Sayoko was there, and she looked stressed, dark lines under her eyes as she barked orders at the other nurses. She was in pain, that much was clear - but whether or not she would open up to him about it was another story.

He fell asleep on the bus ride home, awoken by the driver at the shopping district stop. Yu trudged home and collapsed into his futon fully dressed.

 

\-----

 

The week ran its course with little excitement. On Sunday the clouds blocked out the glaring sun, so Yu took a stroll by the Samegawa to clear his head. He came across a woman dressed in black, and recognized her from the hospital. Yu chewed his lip and considered his options. The people he met in this town all seemed to play into some larger plot, and he doubted this woman was any different. He squared his shoulders and went to introduce himself.

“I am death,” the woman named Hisano said. Yu blinked as the Death Arcana presented itself, a melancholy force that wedged itself somewhere inside him. Still, she seemed so sad despite her friendly smile, and Yu couldn’t help but want to talk to her again.

 

\-----

 

When Yukiko asked Yu to walk home with her after school, he gave a heartfelt apology to Yumi, who looked more than a little put out by his sudden retreat from drama club. He and Yukiko chatted as they went back to the shrine, and Yu felt pride in his friend. She had grown so much over the course of just a few months, taking hold of her destiny and gaining a confidence and maturity that made her shine.

“Here,” she said, handing him a small omamori charm, wrapped in the signature blue and red of the Tatsuhime shrine. “I want you to have this. It will protect you.”

Yu smiled, pocketing the charm. “Relying on the gods?”

She smiled at him, shrugging. “Maybe. I just hope I can be as good of a friend to you as you’ve been to me.”

Amaterasu was blindingly beautiful, a bright light that bathed him in warmth. He’d seen Yukiko’s new persona before, in his last life, but it was still nice to see it here.

They walked to the bus stop together, Yu buying them both cold drinks from a vending machine on the way. He promised Yukiko to keep being her taste tester as she boarded the bus home.

 

\-----

 

To Yu’s surprise, Teddie showed up at Yasogami the next day, sitting in a desk in his homeroom as if he had every right to be there. He never attempted anything like that, but oddly enough, none of the students seemed to pay him any mind, even though he was still wearing his outdoor shoes inside the building.

He didn’t have time to linger with Yumi waiting for him in the drama room to practice a scene, and then a jog to the riverbank to help Ayane practice her trombone. Yu hadn’t been to basketball practice since the second term began, and he felt a strong tug of guilt as he passed by the gymnasium doors on his way out.

Weariness was tugging at his mind during dinner, but Yu still gave Nanako his full attention. As he settled down to sleep, he dug his sleeping aid from where he’d banished it and swallowed a few. Sleep was becoming harder to find.

 

\-----

 

As soon as classes ended on Tuesday, Yu found himself nearly dragged out of school by Yosuke, who gripped his wrist and led him down the road without a word. He was taken to the riverbank, where the sun beat down on his shoulders and made him aware of the tightness in his neck. Yosuke was staring him down, wearing an expression he usually reserved for tougher shadows.

“I want you to hit me.”

Yu did a double take, stepping back in surprise. “What?”

It wasn’t that he was surprised by Yosuke’s latent jealousy, he’d sense that much - but he wasn’t expecting Yosuke to resort to physical violence over it. This had never happened before, and Yu didn’t quite know what to make of it.

“C’mon,” Yosuke urged, dropping into a defensive stance. “I need someone to knock some sense into me. You’ll do it, right, Partner?”

He had no idea what the right course of action was here. This was new territory, and of all the things he expected from Yosuke, none of them included an invitation for a first fight. But Yosuke’s eyes were quietly pleading despite the snarl on his lips.

Yu rolled his shoulder. “Alright. But only if you hit me too.”

Yosuke blinked a few times, then grinned wide as he formed a fist. “Don’t hold back.”

“You’d better not either.”

He knew Yosuke’s strength, of course; he’d taken hits while his teammates were under enemy influence more than a few times. But here, on the riverbank, Yosuke was truly giving it his all. He caught Yu’s jaw in a right hook that rattled his whole brain and another jab to his ribs had him gasping for breath. Yu got in a few good hits, making Yosuke stumble back and spit into the grass. More punches and scrapes, a button from Yu’s shirt flying off into the water as Yosuke grabbed at his collar.

Finally, Yosuke slumped, panting hard as he crumbled into the grass, sprawled out on his back. Yu followed, his head throbbing.

“Damn,” Yosuke huffed. “Your punches are brutal.”

Beside him, Yu gulped for air. “I think you bruised my ribs.”

Laughing softly, Yosuke threw a hand up over his eyes. “...Thanks, Partner.”

With a grunt, Yu sat up. They were both filthy, their uniforms covered in mud and even ripped in a few places. He watched Yosuke breathing, light gathering all around him until it burst upward. Jiraya materialized, with his long flowing scarf. The Persona began to change, reform, making Yu squint against the light. When it cleared, a new Persona was in its place: Susano-O, Yu heard in his mind. He was beautiful and fierce and glorious.

“Wow,” Yosuke breathed. “That’s my power, huh?”

“It’s amazing,” Yu told him.

They washed their hands in the river and did their best to brush the dirt from their clothes before going their separate ways. Once he’d cleaned himself up and settled in the bath, Yu held a hand to his chest, feeling Yosuke’s bond thrumming within him. He’d never gotten that close to him the last time, too scared and unsure about his own feelings to help Yosuke get the closure he needed. But this time, he’d seen it through, and Yu couldn’t help but feel proud of himself for it.

 

\-----

 

Another nearly sleepless night. Yu dragged himself out of his futon, not bothering to fold it up.

Miss Kashiwagi’s voice droned on, a low buzz in the back of his head. He somehow managed to not fall asleep, keeping his head up through sheer force of will. He needed to talk to Kou. He promised Ai he would take her out to lunch. Chie needed his help. And then there was Ayane, Sayoko, Shu, and everyone else that needed him. He pondered making a flowchart to keep track of it all.

He ate lunch with Chie on the roof, instant ramen and beef jerky, and it helped him clear his head. Yu was good with organizing; he could make sense out of the worst messes. He just needed to make sense of this one, and he’d be good. As they went back to class, he knew everything was going to be fine.

Packing his bag after the final bell, Yu did a mental checklist: Basketball practice, then he could talk with Daisuke, text Ai and figure out a day for lunch, have dinner with Nanako, and finally pack for the trip to Port Island. He could do this, easy.

Yosuke was near the door as he went to exit the classroom, his bag on his shoulder. He frowned at Yu as he approached.

“You look tired.”

Yu smiled at him. “A little. But I’m okay.”

Yosuke looked like he wanted to believe Yu but didn’t, but let him pass anyway. “Don’t strain yourself,” he said quietly. Yu nodded as Yosuke went to chat with another group of guys. Yu hurried down the hall to the far stairwell. Basketball. Then Daisuke, then Ai. He had this.

As he turned the corner to the stairs, his vision swam, and the room flipped on its head. He hiccuped, and his bag was no longer in his hand, and the wall was coming up to his side. Something wet ran down his lips and chin. He heard a muffled thud as he saw the stairs, blurry, next to the floorboards. Far away, someone screamed.

 

\----

 

_ Partner? _

He shifted around. His head hurt. It was time to get up.

“...mm awake…”

_ Partner? _

It was so hard to open his eyes. They were so, so  heavy. He was going to miss breakfast.

“...Partner? Can you hear me?”

Yu finally managed to open his eyes. His room looked strange, a curtain where there shouldn’t be one and shelves he didn’t have. Someone touched his shoulder. He turned to see Yosuke next to him, frowning deeply, his eyebrows cinched together. Why was he in Yu’s room?

“Jesus,” Yosuke breathed. “Don’t scare me like that.”

Yu’s brain began to catch up as he noticed that this was definitely not his room, or his bed, and he was most certainly in the nurse’s office at school. He went to sit up from the cot, the one flimsy mattress in the whole school. He’d cleaned it before.

“Easy,” Yosuke grabbed both of his shoulders and guided him.

“What happened?” Yu searched his memory but found nothing. The last thing he remembered was wanting to head to basketball practice.

“You passed out,” Yosuke explained, letting go of his arms. “Or fainted, or something.”

Before Yu could say anything in response, the nurse came around to shove a thermometer in his mouth and take his pulse. He stared at the sheets, embarrassment making his whole body flush hot. She tisked at the thermometer’s readout, leaving his side to pick up the phone at her desk across the room.

He dared to glance at Yosuke, his expression dark. There was a smear of deep red on the left side of his shirt, just above the pocket.

“Is that blood?”

Yosuke glanced down at his shirt. “Yeah. It’s yours.”

Yu’s hand flew to the scar on his forehead on impulse, but Yosuke shook his head. “Your nose was bleeding. A lot.”

Something wasn’t adding up. “Why is it on you?”

Yosuke shifted, looking vaguely uncomfortable. “I carried you here.”

Blinking, Yu felt his cheeks grow even hotter. His brain immediately produced an image of Yosuke princess carrying him through the halls; he quickly shoved it out of his head and into a box labeled _‘things to never think about again.’_

“Thanks,” he muttered.

Turning back to look at the nurse once, Yosuke leaned closer. “You’re wearing yourself out. Don’t think I can’t see it.” He looked intense, almost angry, searching Yu’s face. “I told you to lean on me. Why won’t you?”

Yu picked at the thin blanket that was now pooled in his lap. He didn’t know what to say, too embarrassed to focus his thoughts. Yosuke sighed, a frustrated sound, and pulled back.

“Okay, fine, you don’t have to tell me right now. But, just - let me in? Sometimes?”

Nodding stiffly, Yu couldn’t look at him. They sat in silence for a while until the infirmary door opened, Dojima walking in with a scowl. Yu felt the heat drain from his body.

“Heard you took a spill,” His uncle said, his hands on his hips. He was using the Dad Tone, the one he used on the rare occasion that Nanako misbehaved. It made Yu shrink in place, feeling tiny and helpless and maybe a little angry, mostly with himself.

While his uncle went to talk to the nurse, Yosuke helped Yu stand and put his indoor shoes back on. He still felt wobbly, and his stomach growled. Yosuke’s hand was between his shoulder blades, hot and damp.

As they went to leave, Dojima instructed Yu to go to the car. He tugged on Yosuke’s sleeve with a curt “a word, Hanamura.” Yu left quickly and leaned against the shady side of Dojima’s truck, parked down the lane from the school entrance. Mortified didn’t even begin to cover his experience for the day. He thought he had it together.

Apparently not.

Dojima drove him home in silence, then sat him down at the table and lit a cigarette. He was expecting a lecture, that was just his uncle’s way. It didn’t make it any less embarrassing. Dojima threatened to keep Yu home during the school trip, and he found himself having to plead his case for why he was well enough to go.

In the bath, Yu tried to breathe deep. He was losing it, and he needed to stay focused. There was only about two months left before things would start unraveling, and he needed to hold it together. He made quick notes in his journal and took his melatonin before packing his bag, doing his best to ignore the dread pooling in his gut.


	16. Kings, Birthdays, and Panic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still going! Thanks for all the comments, they really help motivate me to get this done <3 This is admittedly without a beta, I mostly just wanted to get the danged thing updated already. Thanks for your patience!!

Knowing he’d been on trains for hours, Yu chose to shower that morning before double checking his bags. He had his clothes, toiletries, camera, and melatonin. The leather journal was tucked away in the bottom drawer of his dresser, wrapped up in an old sweater for safe keeping.

He met his class at the train station just as the morning sun was peeking over the mountains. Yosuke and Chie looked groggy, holding their duffel bags as they yawned. Miss Kashiwagi passed out tickets and itineraries to everyone, and twenty minutes later, they were boarding the train. It was a short distance to their transfer, and once on it, Yu settled into a booth with Chie, Yukiko and Yosuke. Yukiko had brought a deck of playing cards, and they spent an hour playing a modified version of Gin Rummy. After that, Chie fell asleep on Yukiko’s shoulder, who closed her eyes a few minutes later.

The train was quiet, and Yu suspected most of his classmates were napping in their seats. He stared out the window, watching the countryside speed by, the fields of rice showing faint hints of yellow. It would be autumn soon. Maybe he could plant squash with Nanako.

“Hey.”

Yosuke’s voice was close, snapping Yu out of his daydream. He turned to see his friend leaning in, his tone hushed.

“You doing okay?”

Yu nodded. “Yeah, I guess.”

Yosuke glanced over at Chie and Yukiko, sleeping soundly against each other. “Y’know,” he began slowly. “The, uh. Medicine that I found in your room?”

Blinking, Yu craned his neck to see if anyone around him was listening. Everyone seemed to either be dozing or listening to headphones, paying them no mind at all.

“Yeah?”

Shifting in his seat, Yosuke scanned the area as well, then leaned close to Yu. “I knew what they were because I used to take them, too.”

Yu’s eyebrows went up, and Yosuke gave a small, bitter smile.

“It was right after we came to Inaba,” he continued. “Stress from the move and all that. Had a lot of panic attacks, couldn’t sleep.”

Blinking, Yu studied Yosuke, who then ducked his head and shifted back. He would never have guessed - Yosuke didn’t talk about his time before Inaba much.

“So yeah,” Yosuke said, picking at a hangnail. “I get it, okay? At least a little.”

Cheeks going hot, Yu had to smile at Yosuke. He reached over the armrest that separated their seats and gave Yosuke’s forearm a pat, letting his hand linger for just a second before pulling back.

“Okay,” Yu whispered. “Okay.”

 

\-----

 

The fancy high school they visited seemed even bigger this time, tucked into an artificial island. It reminded Yu of his old school, the one that was waiting for him after he left Inaba, with high tech classrooms and air conditioning and lifeless hallways. He swallowed hard, his mouth bitter.

The lectures dragged on and on. They were given maybe twenty minutes to relax in a common area before it was back in their desks for more lectures, the droning voices of the Gekkoukan teachers making Yu rest his cheek against his palm, eyes drooping. It wasn’t until he heard the scruffy teacher at the front say the word “Izanagi” that he snapped to attention. The teacher was clearly talking about Izanagi - his Persona. Had he missed this last time?

“Hohoho,” the teacher said, rubbing his nose. “Did I catch your attention?”

Yu nodded, opening the blank book he’d been given and began to take notes.

 

\-----

 

As he attempted to shove Teddie into the hotel, Yu mused that not even divine intervention could have stopped the bear from following them to the city. It took some doing and a little bribery, but they were finally settling in to their tiny rented room. A couch was on one side, a single bed on the other. Yosuke was angrily rooting through his duffel bag.

“So this is the ‘good price’ Kashiwagi was bragging about,” he huffed, yanking some clothes and his phone charger out, sending a sock flying. “We have to share.”

Yu shook his head, setting down his bag as Teddie unzipped his bear costume. “That, and that this is a love hotel.”

Yosuke scrubbed his palms down his face. “Don’t remind me.”

After they’d all showered in their (thankfully) private bath, Yu and Yosuke attempted to settle into opposite sides of the hotel waterbed. It jiggled and waved everywhere, even at the slightest movement. Yosuke huffed in annoyance, but Yu couldn’t help but start laughing quietly.

“What’s so funny?” Yosuke asked. A shuffling of sheets told of his arms crossing like they did when he was fed up.

“Sorry,” Yu whispered, quelling his snickers. “This is just so ridiculous.”

A shuffling came from the other side of the room. “Sensei?” Teddie’s voice was sleepy as he sat up, just barely illuminated by the city lights leaking through the curtains. “Is Yosuke telling bad jokes again?”

“Go to sleep, bear,” Yosuke warned.

Teddie must have been too drowsy to fight back, his makeshift bed of towels rustling as he settled back down with a small _“how beary rude.”_ Yu covered his mouth with his hand to silence another laugh.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” Yosuke whispered.

Pondering for a minute, Yu bit at his lip. He could let it be and let Yosuke go to sleep annoyed, or…

Slowly and carefully, he lifted as much of his body from the bed as he could, then let himself drop. The waterbed sprang to life, sending a wave across the bed with a muffled slosh. Yosuke squawked, shuffling in place.

“Dude,” Yosuke’s voice was down to a harsh whisper. “What the hell?”

Yu did it again, less discreetly this time, and he could hear Yosuke clawing for purchase against the blankets. “Quit it, you’re gonna knock me off - “

The was a slosh, and a wave came across the mattress that nearly dislodged Yu entirely. Once he had his balance, he grinned wide. Yosuke didn’t bother with retaliation if he didn’t feel up to a scuffle.

Yu sat up and hopped in place. He heard Yosuke growl, but it didn’t sound as angry as he sent a wave back. The waterbed sloshed back and forth, until Yu could hear Yosuke getting out of bed, then _jumping_ back in.

The resulting wave sent Yu careening out of his side of the bed and onto the floor with a thump.

A beat of silence passed, broken only by the fading sloshing of the waterbed. A click, then the room lit up, the lamp on the other side of the bed coming on. From where he sat in his pajamas, Yu saw Yosuke peer over the side of the bed with wide eyes, lit from behind.

A grin, a snicker, and then they were both laughing, covering their mouths and trying not to be too loud. Yu crawled back into his side of the bed, shuffling under the sheets as Yosuke turned off the light. There were a few giggles here and there, fading into silence as Yu fell asleep.

 

\-----

 

The next day’s lectures were over by lunchtime, and Rise descended upon them immediately and somehow managed to drag the entire group out of the school with her. They boarded a train bound for the city with their wallets at the ready, Chie, Yukiko, and Kanji gaping out the window at the ocean of skyscrapers and elevated highways stretching out as far as the eye could see. Yu and Rise settled into their seats as Yosuke stood, chatting.

They were lead up and down streets, hardly stopping long enough to see anything. Yosuke seemed to come alive in the city, his eyes lighting up as he wove his way through crowds of people with practiced ease, never pausing in his conversation. After lunch in a seventh story cafe that overlooked a busy intersection, it was more browsing, walking, and a trip through an underground subway station that almost resulted in Kanji getting lost. Yu had his camera in his bag, pulling it out every so often to snap a photo of his friends, burning through most of a roll of film in just a few hours.

As the sun was setting, they made their way to a large shopping mall, and went straight for the club. Yu drummed his fingers against his thigh in anticipation. Now here was a night he couldn’t forget if he tried.

Naoto was there, just like last time, and together they went to the upper lounge. A round of drinks were brought, and then another, and by the third round, Rise had gone red in the face - from soda. He hadn’t been paying that much attention last time, but Naoto was right, there was nothing but sugar in their glasses. Yukiko began giggling in her seat, swaying back and forth.

Rise took a red marker to the chopsticks Teddie swiped from some nearby tables, and the King’s Game began. Yu never found out how exactly innocent, sheltered Yukiko knew about a party game like this. He watched the first round carefully, raising an eyebrow as it went the same as before, Teddie tackling Kanji in an attempt to get a kiss.

Yu took a swig of his drink after Chie finished shuffling the chopsticks in a glass, feeling a bit of a rush. He drew, and sure enough, he was the king. Yu scanned over his teammate’s faces as he twirled his red chopstick in his fingers. Last time, he’d ended up with Rise’s head in his lap while Yosuke glared daggers at him from the other couch. So if this was going the way he thought it was and everyone had the same numbers, he had a one in three chance of getting who he wanted. But did he really want to do that? Would it make it weird? Was it worth the risk, or could he play it off and say he was just joking…?

“Well, mister King,” Rise cut through his thoughts with a hiccup. “What is your command?”

Slowly and deliberately, Yu set his red chopstick aside and leaned back in his seat. Rise was perched at the edge of her seat, batting her eyes at him. He took a breath and weighed his options.

“Okay,” he began. “I command that… number four sit in my lap.”

There was a sigh, a pout, and the sound of a chopstick clattering to the floor. “Are you kidding me?” Yosuke yelled, his voice cracking. Yu opened his eyes to see his best friend standing up, his face quickly turning red. He couldn’t help it - he started to laugh, loudly, craning his head back.

“No way, this is stupid,” Yosuke said. Yukiko seemed to awaken momentarily.

“The King’s rule is absolute!”

Yosuke shook his head and opened his mouth, but Rise stood and huffed.

“Yosuke Hanamura,” she stated, pointing at Yu. “You get your keister over there and put it in his lap or I swear I’m not gonna help you bleach your stupid roots again!”

Everyone seemed to stop and stare at her in surprise, even Yu. Yosuke looked back and forth between them several times before shuffling over. Yu couldn’t believe his luck, sitting up and patting his knees. “Come on, partner,” he beckoned. Yosuke glared at him with all his might.

Rise and Yukiko were clapping in an uneven beat as Yosuke perched himself on the very edge of Yu’s legs, as far away as he could get.

Maybe it was something in the air, or he’d finally lost it, or maybe there really was alcohol in the drinks, but Yu felt so oddly free in that moment, like he wanted to do something crazy and never look back. So to that end, he looped his arms around Yosuke’s middle and pulled him close, his best friend yelping in surprise as he fell against Yu. Rise hooted and clapped, but it felt far away, the only sound Yu could hear was the frantic thudding of Yosuke’s heart in his chest where it was pressed against Yu’s cheek.

Yosuke went still against him. Someone was talking to Yu, but he didn’t really hear it. Yosuke smelled so good.

The body in his lap wiggled, two palms flattening against Yu’s chest. Yosuke pushed himself up with a grunt, his face and ears impossibly red as his eyes went from wide as dinner plates to narrowed, searching Yu’s face.

“A-are you done?” Yosuke asked, his voice going high.

His surroundings snapped back into focus. The music of the club, Yukiko giggling nearby, the stale air that hung around them. Yosuke had him at arm’s length now, trembling as his elbows locked. Yu still had his arms around Yosuke’s waist.

“Alright,” there was a tremor in Yu’s voice as he released his friend, Yosuke springing up and stumbling back to his seat. He crossed his arms and his legs, closing himself off and pointedly looking in the other direction, cherry red.

Rise was shuffling the chopsticks for another round, but Yu suddenly felt cold, his stomach sinking. Yosuke wouldn’t look his way. He felt the high from a minute before crumble, leaving a pit of guilt in its place that made him vaguely sick.

Once Naoto had enough of their antics, they found a train back to the hotel. Chie and Kanji were supporting their not-actually-drunk friends as they giggled and drifted in and out of sleep on the walk back to the Seaside Inn. Once there, they saw some of their classmates swaying and laughing, probably _actually_ drunk. Yosuke stayed at the back of the group, his hands shoved into his pockets.

Teddie went to sleep immediately as Yosuke wordlessly claimed the first shower. Yu gathered his night clothes and sat on the floor beside his bag, waiting for his turn, nerves jumbled up.

The shower did nothing to soothe his anxiety. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes and clenched his teeth.

Once Yu was under the covers, Yosuke turned off the light without a word. The silent dark felt so heavy, and Yu hated it, this sinking in his gut that he’d crossed a line. The happiness from the night before, when they’d tossed each other out of the waterbed, was centuries away.

“Hey,” he whispered, tapping at the covers.

“...Hmm?”

Yu squeezed his eyes shut, the memory of Yosuke’s rejection threatening to come forward. “Sorry about tonight. I guess I made it weird.”

No response. Then Yosuke began shuffling around, shifting under the covers. “Yeah, you kinda did.”

Yu swallowed the lump in his throat. “Didn’t mean to. I was just joking around.”

More shuffling. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Yu sighed. “Sorry.”

Yosuke’s breathing was quiet and even. There was a sink dripping somewhere.

“S’okay,” Yosuke finally said, then went quiet. Yu nodded, then stared at the line of light that came in through the curtains until his alarm went off.

 

\-----

 

They were dismissed after breakfast the next morning, which gave Yu a chance to slip away and do some shopping for Nanako. It helped take his mind off the night before, and the lingering shame he felt. A small voice in his head told him that he’d ruined everything; Yu squashed it down as he picked out a pair of hair clips with jasmine blossoms on them.

A text from Rise had them meet up at the same ramen shop as last time. Only able to finish half of his bowl as his stomach was starting to go sour, Yu let Teddie polish off the rest if he promised not to spend all his train money on food. Yosuke seemed in high enough spirits, but once they were on the train, he claimed the window seat and put on his headphones, staring out at the scenery for the duration of the ride.

The lack of sleep caught up with him after the first hour, and Yu slipped into a dreamless stupor, awoken by Yukiko as they pulled into Okina. Once back in Inaba, Yosuke waved goodbye with a “later, partner,” which helped calm Yu’s nerves.

 

\-----

 

Naoto appeared on the news as Nanako was eating her gift mochi. Yu frowned at her appearance, the scowl set deep in her eyes. He didn’t catch it last time, but this time, it very much sounded like she was calling them all out in addition to the killer. Daring them to make a move.

Guilt nagged at him. Yu knew it was awful to let her be taken, but his team was almost complete. He was so close to being ready to end the case, to finally figure it out, to keep Nanako safe. And he needed Naoto’s intuition and sharp wit to put the pieces together.

He managed to sleep a little that night, though he was plagued by dreams of falling through floors and running down endless hallways, desperately searching for something.

 

\-----

 

As they returned to school on the morning of September thirteenth, Naoto met them near the floodplain in her street clothes. Her departure had seemed so abrupt the last time, but now it made more sense, Naoto’s unwavering need for truth showing through her disguise.

After classes were done, Yu spent the afternoon with Kou, reading a letter from the orphanage where he was raised. Daisuke looked on, uncomfortable, as if he wanted to comfort his friend but unsure how. Once Kou was ready to go back to his home, Yu swung by Daidara’s to make sure his equipment was up to date. He couldn’t remember if Naoto’s base in the TV World had any peculiarities beyond strong shadows, no instances of elemental weakness came to mind. Frowning, he picked out a few accessories; some rings, brooches, and bracers that would hopefully protect them from anything. Afterwards he went home for a quick dinner with Nanako and her father, then he sprinted to the bus stop to catch the bus to Sho’s house for tutoring.

He came home just before midnight, but there was no rain, so he was safe for at least one more day. Yu dozed in the bath and managed to fall into his futon at one in the morning. He thought of the journal, but was too tired to get back up.

 

\-----

 

The next afternoon saw the rain beginning to fall, turning into a steady patter of water on the hospital windows. Sitting with Yumi, Yu held her hand as she cried for a dying father she claimed to hate. He could empathize with her; her feelings for this man she hardly knew were complex at best. It made him wonder about his own father, his thick glasses and sharp eyes, hollow cheeks and upright posture. When was the last time he saw that man, besides the occasional silent dinner? Did he even know his father? Know anything about him? Did Yu’s father know him, or even miss him? No phone calls. No texts. No emails. Ever.

Yumi sniffled, and Yu handed her a tissue as he gave her fingers a squeeze.

Naoto was on the midnight channel, barely a silhouette but still easily recognized, with her newsboy hat and cocked hip. Yosuke was the first to give Yu a call, which put his mind at ease. Some leftover guilt from the trip was still haunting him. After they said goodnight, Yu caught up with his journal entries and popped a melatonin. He was feeling slightly more in control, but the unease that came with saving a teammate a second time kept his mind from quieting.

 

\-----

 

After a wet afternoon spent in the Tatsumi textile shop learning to embroider under Kanji’s watchful eye, Yu stood in his room and waited for the TV to switch on by itself. Rain beat against his window, fat drops that slid down the roof into the misty yard below. He could barely see the rice field across the street through the downpour.

A crackle of static convinced Yu to turn. Naoto’s shadow laughed from inside the TV, in her oversized lab coat, backed by a myriad of dangerous looking tools and instruments. This time, he remembered their hunt for information about her and decided, swallowing a melatonin, that he wasn’t going to bother this time. No more games. He was inching towards disaster and needed to focus.

In his dreams, Yu was strapped to an exam table in a dark room. No one came to his side, no matter how much he screamed.

 

\-----

 

After school the following day, they gathered at Junes to discuss Naoto. Deliberations were brief; no one needed to be convinced to enter the TV, and together they dove in and hit the backlot. Yu relayed the info about Naoto that he remembered hunting for last time: her obsession with the truth and frustration at being treated like a child, playing it off as if he’d overheard it from his uncle. It was enough to let Rise home in on the Secret Base.

“Yikes,” Yosuke breathed, twirling his kunai on one finger. “This place is creepy.”

Yu pushed up his TV World glasses. “Let’s go.”

The Base was dark, darker than he remembered, with ominous splatters of fluorescent paint on the walkways. The air was stale, tinged with ozone and acrid, like it had gone through one too many filters. With Yosuke, Yukiko, and Teddie at his side, Yu plowed through the first two floors, not bothering to double back once they found the stairs. They were coming across a high number of treasure chests, and Yu opened every one without hesitation. Then he opened a chest on the third floor and felt a chill run down his spine.

“What was that?” Yukiko asked, spinning around with her fan in front of her. Yu wiped a bead of sweat from his face with his arm.

“Don’t know,” he answered. Somewhere he thought he heard chains rattling, but there was so much ambient sound in Naoto’s Base that it was hard to tell.

They continued, rushing down the stairs to level 4. He could hear Yosuke starting to pant, the strong shadows of the Base wearing everyone down slowly. “We’ll get to the next floor and call it a day,” Yu announced, scanning the hallway.

His teammates nodded, and they went left, towards a long stretch containing several doors. Behind the third was another treasure chest, sitting alone in the middle of the room. Yu gave it a kick and the top flipped open.

The lights overhead flickered. The air changed, pressurizing, gaining a weight that made it harder to breath. Yosuke immediately dropped into a defensive stance, pulling his headphones down from his ears.

“Something’s up,” he hissed. Teddie was sniffing the air.

“There’s something here,” he said between sniffs. “Something beary powerful!”

Yu chewed on his lip and switched his main Persona to Siegfried. “Let’s be careful.”

They took to creeping down the halls, weapons raised and walking softly. Chains were rattling, getting louder, although Yu couldn’t tell the direction they were coming from. He looked back at his group.

“Find the stairs, then we’re getting out of here.”

Rounding a corner, a cold gurgle echoed through the halls. The dingy lights flickered again, and for a split second, they were plunged into total darkness. When they could see again, Yu heard Yukiko gasp, and turned to look down the hallway.

At the other end, something loomed, something huge and ragged. Its head touched the ceiling, there were no feet, only tattered cloth and chains. Long shafts of metal glinted in the low light - blades, Yu thought, but no, they were _guns._ It groaned loudly, floating their way.

Teddie shrieked. Rise’s voice came loud over their telepathic connection with one word: _“Run!”_

They turned as one unit and took off, Teddie’s shoes squeaking. Yosuke zoomed past Yu at full tilt, his sneakers skidding as he stopped at a door, his fist slamming into the console on the wall.

“In here!” he shouted, the door opening. They nearly tripped over each other as they piled in, Yu dropping his sword to fumble with his supplies, searching for a Goho-M. His lungs burned as he panted. He couldn’t find it. The door slid shut just as a something began to block out the light.

The metal on the door groaned, then something slammed into the other side. Yosuke raised his kunai, Yukiko cast a healing spell.

 _Come on,_ Yu was tossing items aside. _Come on!_

The door opened, and the thing came through, rattling. The air turned sour, Yu was dimly aware of his teammates forming a shield around him. Yukiko whimpered, the thing was raising one of its long guns.

Yu’s fingers closed around something round and warm. He dropped everything else and threw up the Goho-M with a shout, the base dissolving into white around them.

His knees hit the pavement of the backlot with a thump. Yu wheezed for air as his teammates bent over, gasping for breath, either out of panic or from the run, he couldn’t tell. Rise’s shoes smacked against the ground as she ran to them, sliding on her knees to put her hands on Yu’s shoulders.

“Are you alright? Senpai!”

He stopped gulping for air and met Rise’s eyes, then nodded. “What was that thing?”

“I have no idea.” She stood and took stock of the group. “I think something went wrong when you opened that last treasure chest?”

Yosuke, who was leaning on his knees, stood up straight. “Shit, I really hope that thing isn’t gonna chase us through the whole damn base.”

As Yu caught his breath, they regrouped and agreed to leave the TV World for the day. Yu realized with a frown that he’d dropped his sword and nearly all of his items in the Base, and given how the TV World areas seemed to rearrange themselves from day to day, he doubted he’d ever get them back.

 

\-----

 

The next day was Sunday, and while Yu wanted to spend time with Hisano, he preferred the idea of getting Naoto out as soon as possible. He had to make a trip to Daidara’s for a new sword and replenish his item stock, which took a considerable chunk out of his finances.

Once inside the base, they had to double back from the sixth floor to the fourth to hunt down a key, fighting a giant robot in the process. The fight seemed to take a lot out of Yosuke, so Yu swapped him out for Kanji. Yosuke was pouting, taking a bottled drink from their supplies as he hung back and shuffled his feet. It was sort of cute.

Naoto’s shadow was a pitiful sight, switching between berating her and pained crying. Yu breathed a secret sigh of relief once her shadow blew her cover, revealing that Naoto wasn’t actually a boy. How Rise never picked up on it was a mystery to Yu. She was the sharpest of the group - or maybe she _had_ figured it out and just kept quiet.

The battle with Shadow Naoto was straightforward, no crazy tricks or surprise attacks. It was still hard, dragging on for the better part of an hour. Yukiko stayed on healing duty while Chie and Kanji unloaded on the shadow.

Once it was over, Kanji and Rise walked Naoto home. Yu stopped by a vending machine and bought an energy drink, finishing it before he got back to the house. He was tired from the fight, from playing dumb, from hiding. At least Naoto’s reveal meant there was one less thing he had to worry about.

Adachi was sitting at the living room table when he arrived, red faced and swaying. Nanako sat in a chair in the kitchen, frowning over her plate of food. Yu took a seat and humored Adachi for a bit, picking off the last bits of the night’s takeout. Once the detective left for the night (after Yu called him a ride), Yu had a bath and turned in, reasonably satisfied.

 

\-----

  


Being back at school on Monday felt oddly disorienting, like he wasn’t really inside his own body. Yosuke slept through most of class, Chie and Yukiko’s heads drooping through lectures. At the final bell, Yosuke shoved his books in his messenger bag and took off, rattling off something about a shift at work. Chie and Yukiko made quick exits as well; Yu tried to follow, but was snagged in the hallway by Kou and Daisuke, who seemed to want nothing more than idle conversation. He was saved by his phone ringing, the number of the Dojima home flashing on the screen.

“Yes?” He answered.

“Big Bro!” Nanako said, sounding cheerful. “Can you come home? I need your help with something.”

“Okay,” Yu said slowly. He wasn’t really planning on doing anything today, still exhausted from fighting a shadow. “I’ll be home soon.”

The sky was gathering grey clouds as he made the walk home. A cool wind was blowing, sweeping away some of the lingering summer heat. Autumn was so close.

Inside the Dojima house was quiet, but it smelled like someone had been baking. Yu removed his shoes and rolled his shoulders. He could really use a long soak in a hot bath.

“Nanako?” He called, walking into the house. “I”m home--”

There was a pop, a whistle, and a spray of color entered his vision. “Surprise!” several voices chanted at once. Yu blinked, watching confetti rain down around him. His friends were crowded in the living room, wearing pointed hats. Streamers dripped from the ceiling, and a large cake was on the table.

Nanako ran up to him, wearing her favorite dress, holding out a paper crown. “Happy birthday, Big Bro!”

Yu’s mind scratched to a full stop as he blinked owlishly at the sea of expectant eyes around him. Confused, he took his phone from his pocket and opened it. _September 19, 2011_ stared up at him.

“It _is_ my birthday,” he breathed.

Chie laughed. “Oh my god, did you forget your own birthday?”

Smiling sheepishly, Yu bent down and let Nanako put the crown on his head and lead him into the living room. His friends surrounded him, laughing and telling stories. Kanji served up platefuls of cake and Rise brought out coffee as they recounted stories of fun times they’d had, carefully omitting any talk of the TV World. Nanako handed Yu a small wrapped parcel and gave him a hug. His friends offered him gifts, mostly greeting cards, Kanji handing him a pair of hand-knit mittens with a nervous “for when it gets cold.” They sang songs with Nanako, children’s tunes that they all remembered from elementary school. Yu’s face was sore from smiling.

As the sun began to set, his friends said their goodbyes and departed. Kanji stayed for a bit to help clean up all the streamers and confetti while Yosuke donned Yu’s cooking apron and took to the stack of plates and coffee cups that were piled by the sink.

“Did you have fun, Big Bro?” Nanako asked as they put plastic wrap over the last of the cake.

Yu smiled and patted her hair. “Yes, Nanako. This was the best birthday ever, thank you.”

From the sink, Yosuke called over his shoulder. “Do you usually forget your own birthday?”

“Sort of,” Yu answered, taking a seat at the table. “It’s never been a big deal for me.”

Yosuke shot him a soft smile, one that said _‘me too.’_ Yu thought back to how Yosuke didn’t tell anyone about his birthday. Dojima arrived home shortly after, wearing a tired smile as he gave Yu’s shoulder a rough pat. “Seventeen already,” he said. “Happy birthday. Here, this is for you.” He handed Yu a small envelope and turned to scoop up Nanako in his arms. “Did everyone have fun?”

“Yeah!” Nanako beamed. “We really surprised him!”

Yosuke laughed, removing the apron and draping it over a chair. “I”ll say, he kinda bluescreened for a second there.”

Dojima laughed, a real laugh, free of his usual tension. “Is that so? Thanks for helping out, Hanamura.”

Yu walked Yosuke to the entryway, his friend fishing his shoes from where he’d hidden them in a  storage closet under the stairs.

“Hey,” Yu said. “Thanks.”

Yosuke looked up at him from the entry way, smiling proudly. He flicked the paper crown that Yu had forgotten he was wearing and grinned. “Happy birthday, Partner.”

After Yosuke left, Yu made sandwiches for his uncle and cousin, and then took a long hot bath. He made a few notes in his journal before falling asleep with ease.

 

\-----

 

Back to the normal grind, Yu ignored the lectures at school to plan how to divide his time between all of his social links. He was nearing the end of Chie’s and Yumi’s, so he concluded that focusing on those would be the best use of his time. He had promised to take Marie to see Daidara about her bamboo comb. There was still Hisano and Kanji that needed him. The pressure began forming behind his eyes.

On Thursday, Yosuke invited Yu to share his lunch, a large Junes bento of fried chicken and snap peas. They went to the small courtyard instead of the roof, the afternoon sun a little too strong, finding a patch of grass that sat in the shade of a young tree. Yosuke talked and talked, about work and school and things he’d read online. Yu ate in silence, his stomach feeling odd. His heart was racing. A chopstick slipped from his fingers.

“Partner?”

He was breathing fast, and swallowed hard to try to calm down. It didn’t work.

“You okay?”

Yu shook his head, a tiny motion that made the grass in front of him blur. He felt too hot and too cold all at once. The bento was pulled away from him. His heart thudded inside his chest, everything was suddenly too loud and too much.

Pressure against his ears and the sound of the wind in the trees cut out. Yu reached up and felt cool plastic, Yosuke’s headphones. There was silence, then slowly, music filtered in, low and quiet. A piano, soft. Someone was singing, a man’s voice, gentle English. Yu tried to focus on it, recognizing words he knew here and there.

He tilted to the side, his cheek coming to rest against the fabric of Yosuke’s uniform pants. Yosuke’s thigh was hot against his face as the song continued. Something about stars and driving, though he couldn't catch the rest. Yosuke’s hand was making circles on his shoulder.

The song ended, and Yu took a deep breath, his heart finally slowing. He sat up, a small wave of vertigo coming and going quickly. Taking a few more breaths, Yu tried to ground himself, slipping the headphones down onto his neck.

“Hey,” Yosuke said, his hand still on Yu’s shoulder. “Easy, I’m here.”

Yu nodded. “Thanks,” he whispered. His head hurt.

There was a long stretch of silence. The wind rustled the leaves over their heads. Yu felt wrung out.

“You gonna be okay?” Yosuke asked.

Taking off the headphones and handing them back, Yu gave a tiny smile. “I think so.”

He declined to eat any more of their lunch. Yosuke finished off the chicken, but the rest ended up in a trash bin as they returned to class.

 

\-----

 

Yu remained busy for the remaining week of September as they waited for Naoto to recover. He took his scooter to Okina to pick up the developed rolls of film and drop of two more; he sat on a bench looking through the photos for the better part of an hour. He now had a stack of photos of his friends and Nanako, smiling and laughing. The shot of Yosuke eating a strawberry made his cheeks warm. When he got home, he pinned several of them to the wall above his dresser, choosing a photo of Nanako playing in the grass to place in the single photo frame he owned.

Yu finalized his link with Chie, watching Tomoe transform into Suzuka Gongen, her dual lance shining in the sun. He was proud of her, and treated her to a large beef bowl afterwards.

A good deal of his energy after that went to planning a birthday party for Nanako on October 4th. She deserved it, and Yu’s friends agreed. When Tuesday rolled around, Yu picked up Nanako from school and took her to Junes. Yosuke had pulled a few strings and set up a scavenger hunt for her that included trips to several sample booths that were serving sweet jams and potato snacks. On the roof, they took shelter under the awnings as it began to drizzle. A swath of Junes workers brought out a small cake with candles as they sung happy birthday to Nanako, who wore a little plastic tiara on her head.

Yu had to carry Nanako the last half of the journey home, where her father was waiting to read her a bedtime story. Yu went to sleep satisfied, shoving down his worry.

The rain continued all through the next day, and the fog settled over the town just before midnight. Yu’s TV came to life, but no one appeared on it, the screen blank except for static and white noise. He made more notes in his journal. Naoto would join them soon, and then he could begin searching for the real killer in earnest.

He swallowed a melatonin and hugged at his pillow. Three weeks until the Culture Festival. He was almost out of time.


	17. The Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Sorry this took so long, everyone. Work on this fic slowed down as I got into other fandoms, but I'm still determined to finish it. Thanks for the support :D
> 
> This chapter is unbeta'd, because I know if I stress about trying to make it perfect, I'll never post it. So apologies for any mistakes!

Thursday morning after the fog cleared was cloudy and damp, the streets finally cool from two days of rain as Yu accompanied Yosuke and Chie to school. Naoto met them at the front gates, still wearing her boy’s uniform, bag in hand.

“I wanted to thank you again,” She said, hand on her hip. A group of gossiping students walked by, commenting on Naoto’s uniform.

Yu walked to her side and patted her shoulder. “Ignore them,” he said. “If there’s anything this school loves, it’s rumors.”

Naoto nodded, her cheeks slightly pink. They made loose plans to meet after school as they went inside to change their shoes and hurry to class.

 

\-----

 

He had to make considerable effort to keep his leg from bouncing in anticipation as Naoto recounted the events that led up to her kidnapping. Despite having heard it before, Yu listened closely, searching for clues he might have missed before. But it still pointed towards Namatame, the truck, and the TV strapped in the back.

Yosuke was giving him a look. Yu blinked and relaxed his shoulders, sitting back in his chair.

As they left Junes, Yosuke walked by Yu’s side. After they waved goodbye to Yukiko and Chie, Yosuke’s face fell, and he stared at the road in front of them with a scowl.

“You thinkin’ what I’m thinking?”

Yu stopped. “Hm?”

With a frustrated sounding huff, Yosuke looked him in the eye. “It feels like we’re, I dunno. Missing something. A big piece of the puzzle.

He almost wanted to laugh, but instead, Yu nodded. “Yeah. I think you’re right.”

Once he returned home, Yu shoved his homework aside and took out the journal and a clean sheet of paper. He went through the entries from the beginning, picking out clues and writing them down on the new sheet in a list, pouring over memories. But he had no revelations or epiphanies, nothing new came to mind. He was stuck in the same place he’d been for months: either the killer really was Namatame, or it was a force they’d never encountered. Both situations seemed as unlikely as ever, but Yu was at a loss for any other connections.

He went to sleep with a pain beating behind his eyes.

 

\-----

 

After school the next day, they all went to the hospital for their physical exams. Yu picked at a nail as he sat on the exam table, a cold stethoscope against his back as he was instructed to breath deeply. He’d already done this; in fact, he’d been in and out of hospital exam rooms more times than he’d care to count, especially this time around. The doctor glanced at his clipboard and frowned.

“Everything seems normal, but…” The doctor looked up at Yu. “Your blood pressure is a little on the high side for someone your age. Are you managing your stress alright?”

Yu pushed down manic laughter and shrugged. “I think so.”

The doctor didn’t seem impressed, and Yu left with a prescription for a mild sedative.

 

\-----

 

In the middle of lunch the next day, Yu’s already scattered train of thought screeched to a halt. He blinked at Yosuke, who was hunched over, his hands clasped in front of his face.

“Uh. Say what now?”

“Please,” Yosuke pleaded. “I’m begging you! Help me put on a show at Junes!”

Yu had to shake his head just to clear it. This was out of left field, alright - or out of another galaxy. He straightened his back and tried to act normal, or whatever the closest he could get to normal anymore.

“I mean, if this falls through, my dad might get fired,” Yosuke continued. His eyes looked vaguely wet. “If that happens, we might have to move, and…. what am I gonna do? I can’t be part of the team if I leave Inaba!” He met Yu’s eyes. “Please? Partner?”

With a sigh, Yu deflated. At least he wasn’t the only one swayed, as the rest of the group agreed to help. 

An hour later, they were in the band room, instruments in hand. Yosuke had thrust a bass guitar at Yu almost immediately, despite how he’d picked up the trumpet that he already knew how to play fairly well. Yosuke insisted he’d look cooler with a bass, and Yu was powerless to fight him.

He was able to teach Chie enough about the trumpet that she managed to make a few squawking sounds come out of it, and then they adjourned for the day. Yu took the bass home, slung over one shoulder in a case, slightly dazed. This was new. And weird. And, given that he was the only one in the group besides Rise that could read sheet music, it was probably going to be a  _ disaster. _

He managed an hour’s worth of practice at home, the electric bass filling his room with stuttering tinny sounds with no amp to flesh them out. The tips of his fingers ached from the steel strings and he’d abandoned the pick after the first ten minutes of fumbling with the tiny piece of plastic. It wasn’t as difficult as he’d feared, his years of playing music lending him some support as he taught his hands to work in tandem in a new way.

Yu made notes in his journal, bathed, and then took out his new prescription to read the instruction pamphlet. It had standard warnings about driving or operating machinery while taking it, but given that Yu was about to go to bed, he shrugged and swallowed one.

Within twenty minutes his head became light, and the world around him muted just slightly. He settled into his futon without setting an alarm, and dreamed of a far away voice calling his name, over and over.

 

\-----

 

He was almost late for their practice at school the next day, jogging to Yasogami high with the guitar case slamming against his back. It was Sunday, so the school was empty except for a few third years getting extra exam study time in, the halls quiet. Next to him, Yosuke was examining his fingertips, which looked slightly raw. Once everyone was present, Rise set up a metronome, and signaled them to start.

They sounded horrible.

_ Ear-splittingly _ horrible. Yu grimaced through the entire set as he struggled to keep up, fumbling with the strings more than once. It made him break out into a nervous sweat, and once they stopped playing, it seemed everyone was in the same boat, biting lips and blushing.

“That…” Rise clapped her hands. “Wasn’t too bad!”

Yosuke sagged. “You’ve gotta be kidding. That was awful!”

Rise didn’t seem fazed. “Yeah, but for the first day of practice? It wasn’t bad at all. I think we can do this!”

Her enthusiasm spread to the group, and they spent another two hours practicing. Naoto had her keyboard part down quickly, with Kanji following on the drums. Yukiko and Chie struggled with their brass instruments, so Yu and Rise decided it would be best to simplify their parts. By the time they played for the last time of the day, they actually sounded alright. Everyone managed to hit their cues on time and stay on key.

Yu walked home with Yosuke, comparing the blisters on their left fingertips.

 

\-----

 

Performance day came, and Yu was actually glad he wasn’t playing a trumpet, given how he’d chewed a bleeding hole into his bottom lip out of nerves.

The rest of their makeshift band wasn’t fairing much better. Kanji was deathly pale, Yukiko kept wringing her hands, and Naoto was as still as a mannequin. Yosuke came rushing backstage, visibly sweaty.

“Crap, there are so many people out there…”

Yu could feel his heart hammering up in his throat. He’d faced down monsters that could have squashed him into paste, but somehow,  _ this _ was what was threatening to undo him. Nerves over performing a single song for a crowd. A large crowd of people that knew him. With an instrument he barely knew how to play and a group that had only practiced once.

He ran a hand down his face and squared his shoulders. As they began to move to the stage, Yu thought he saw a figure out of the corner of his eye, shuffling away.

Once on stage, he felt vaguely lightheaded. The rooftop of Junes was packed, quite literally - tables had been stacked in a corner to make room for what looked to be half the town. They cheered as Rise took the stage, greeting her fans with effortless confidence. Rise turned to give the team a wink, counting down on her fingers.

Yu swallowed hard and waited for his cue, nine beats in.

Once they began playing, the nerves turned to energy, the buzzing of their amplified instruments thrumming through the stage into Yu’s feet. They sounded good - really good - the cheering crowd masking the missed note when Yu’s finger slipped. He dared a glance at Yosuke, who looked to be getting into it as well, a wide grin on his face.

Yu smiled, flipped his hair, and kept playing. Nearby, a group of girls squealed.

It all went so well that even their failed stage dive couldn’t completely ruin his high. Yosuke and Kanji didn’t entirely share the sentiment, having ended up face down on the roof and leaving Junes with bruised egos. Teddie stayed behind to clean up as Yu walked Yosuke home, mostly to carry the bass guitar and return it. Yosuke was oddly quiet as they climbed the stairs to his room, setting the instruments down in the corner by the closet.

“You okay?” Yu asked. Yosuke jumped like he’d been pulled out of a trance.

“Uh.” He shook his head. “Yeah, I’m good.” There was a long pause in which Yosuke stared at the wall. “That… was cool, right? We looked cool?”

He could hear the hidden question there, and smiled. “Yeah, you looked cool, Yosuke.”

A sigh, and Yosuke’s shoulders relaxed. He smiled at Yu, then frowned, his eyebrows knitting together.

“Ah, jeeze,” he said, one of his hands cupping Yu’s chin. “What did you do?”

Yu froze. Yosuke’s palm was hot against the side of his jaw, a thumb dragging gently against his bottom lip. He felt a pinprick of pain, but ignored it in favor of memorizing the four points where Yosuke’s fingers rested against his neck. The room fell away.

“You’ve gotta quit biting your lip, partner,” Yosuke chided. “You made it bleed.” The thumb left Yu’s lip, followed by Yosuke’s hand, giving Yu’s cheek a pat before dropping away. His skin felt cold for its absence.

“Wanna stay for dinner?”

Blinking, Yu felt the room around him snap back into place. “Uh.” He cleared his throat. “Nah, I should get home, Nanako’s waiting for me.”

“Alright,” Yosuke waved his arm, then turned to plop down on his bed. “See you tomorrow, then.”

Yu saw himself out, taking the long way home. He touched his bottom lip, dazed.

 

\-----

 

The high from their rooftop performance - and the buzz around town it created - was only slightly dampened by the impending midterms. Plans were hastily formed for study groups nearly every day, Chie and Yosuke seemed to be a little more on edge than the rest of the group. Teddie joined in, despite not having anything to study, but was helpful in the end, asking them to explain their subjects to him.

Yu finished his Social Link with Yumi, clasping her hands as he felt her friendship settle into his soul. It was warm, generous, and fierce, just like she was. He couldn’t deny the guilt he’d felt at turning down her affections, but Yumi was so bright, Yu had no doubt she would find someone to love her like she deserved.

Midterms began. While they were easy, Yu was glad he’d studied a bit. His mind was too frazzled lately to remember a test he’d taken that long ago. He frowned at one of the questions. It had been so easy on the first set of exams. What changed?

The rest of the week went smoothly, with a few last minute study sessions with Chie over beef bowls serving as the only interruption. By Thursday, Yu was walking home with a crick in his neck. He wanted a long bath and some quiet time after all that.

The Dojima house was empty, which was rare for a weeknight. Before Yu could ponder it, the front door slid open and Nanako announced her arrival from the entryway.

“Hey, Big Bro!” she greeted. “Are you done with exams?”

Yu kneeled down to meet her, ignoring how his shoulder almost screamed in protest. “Yep, all done!” 

Nanako beamed. “We should get something nice for dinner to celebrate! Oh,” she held out her hand. “This was in the mailbox for you.”

A plain yellow envelope was in Nanako’s hand. Yu held his breath, feeling his blood go cold. As he took it, he heard himself say ‘thanks,’ but it was far away and didn’t sound like his own voice. He heard something about washing up for dinner, then dashed upstairs to his room and locked the door. He set the envelope down on the work table, then tore open his closet.

He found his heavy winter coat stashed in the back, neatly folded. He pulled it out and unfolded it, going for the pockets. His winter gloves were inside, just where he’d left them last spring. They were better than nothing, anyway.

Gloves on, he carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. Just like before, a single printed sentence stared back at him.

_ dont rescue anymore _

Nothing else. Not another speck of ink on the page, no marks. None that he could see, anyway.

He had to sit on the floor and take a deep breath, his heart hammering inside his chest. This was the first warning. How long until the second? It was starting to fall apart, all of it. Yu stumbled downstairs and managed to find a clear plastic bag, telling Nanako he didn’t feel well. It was the truth, his stomach churning as he slipped the letter and envelope into the bag using his gloves, carefully pressing the air out before sealing it. He needed to give this to Naoto. She had the means to dust it for prints, and while there might not be anything, it was worth a shot.

Yu managed to eat just a bit of dinner before taking a bath and returning to his room, where he eagerly swallowed one of his sedatives.  _ Keep it together, _ he told himself.  _ Just keep it together. _

 

\-----

 

The letter went from one hand to the next as each member of the team examined it through the plastic bag. There were a few gasps.

“It just came to your house?” Yukiko asked.

Yu nodded. “Nanako brought it in. She and I both touched the envelope, but I wore gloves when I took the letter out.”

Naoto was tapping a knuckle to her chin. “Good idea. I have a fingerprint kit at home.”

“Would you?” Yu asked.

“Of course, though it’s unlikely I’ll find anything useful.”

Yu nodded. “We should all be careful. The killer might be on to us.”

The mood soured, and silence blanketed the group. Everyone looked visibly uncomfortable for several minutes until Chie spoke up.

“Hey, so… the culture festival is happening soon!”

Yu almost fell over. The Culture Festival. He’d all but forgotten about it, and now it was a week away. The group date cafe, the pageant. Humiliation abounds. He would not be letting that happen this time, even if it meant the festival was horribly boring instead.

He walked with Yosuke as they left school, noting his friend’s scheming face. He had to nip this nonsense in the bud right now.

“What are you grinning about?” Yu asked. Yosuke smirked.

“So our class doesn’t have a theme for the festival yet, right? I had the  _ best _ idea.”

Yu managed to not groan out loud, a feat he was proud of. “Oh? What is it?”

Yosuke stopped walking, then scanned either end of the sidewalk, as if he was afraid of being overheard. “Get this, dude,” he said lowly, stepping closer. “Group date cafe.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’ll be awesome!” Yosuke was grinning wide. “We’ll set up tables and have, like, two girls and two guys sit down and talk about interests and stuff, just like those speed dates you see restaurants hosting-”

“Yosuke,” Yu sighed, unable to hide his exasperation. “No.”

Blinking, Yosuke looked confused and just a touch offended. “What? Why? It’ll be fun!”

“No,” Yu corrected, “It won’t. Look,” he searched for a suitable lie, coming up with one quickly. “They had those at my old school. They were a disaster. No one wanted to participate in a group date with their classmates.”

Yosuke bit his lip, crestfallen. “Really? Aw, man.”

Yu inwardly groaned. “Sorry to dash your hopes. We’ll think of something better, okay?”

Despite his assurances, Yosuke pouted the rest of the way home. Yu returned to the Dojima house and prepared dinner for Nanako, hoping he’d at least dodged that incredibly awkward bullet.

 

\-----

 

Near the end of afternoon classes the next day, two student council members read and tallied the votes. Blessedly there was no mention of a group date cafe, and in its place, a photo op room was voted in as the theme almost unanimously. It would be a challenge to set up, but would likely be a good deal more enjoyable than the room going entirely unvisited for the duration of the festival.

“Who do you think suggested the photo op room?” Yukiko wondered aloud as they walked to Junes after school let out. Yosuke rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Uh, that was me,” he said sheepishly. “I thought it’d be fun, give everyone a place to take photos with backdrops and props and stuff, y’know?’

“Well I think it’s gonna be great!” Chie skipped a little. “Last year our theme was super boring.”

The rooftop of Junes was deserted, and the group settled at their usual table with sodas and snacks, chatting about the upcoming festival, what props to bring, what backdrops to set up for their class theme. It was easy and calm, carefree in a way that Yu hadn’t felt in months.

The telltale squeak of shoes approached their table. Teddie came ambling up in his bear costume, looking sullen.

“Ted?” Yosuke asked. “What’s up?”

The bear shuffled to Yu’s side, wringing his gloved hands. “Sensei…”

Yu set aside his drink and was at attention immediately. “What’s wrong, Teddie?”

More hand wringing. “There’s…. There’s someone over  _ there. _ ”

There were a few scrapes of chair legs on pavement as more than half the group stood, some gasping. Yu went cold despite the hot sun beating on his back.

“Someone?” Yosuke questioned. “Did someone else get kidnapped?”

“There’s been no activity on the midnight channel,” Naoto noted.

“Well…” Teddie trailed off, fidgeting. “It’s a someone. Or maybe a something? I can’t tell, but it’s beary scary. I don’t want to go in there alone!”

They all exchanged glances. Yu stood and walked to the elevators, followed closely by the rest of his team. No one spoke, even as they stood before the large flat screen TV in the electronics department. Unease made Yu’s footsteps heavy. No one had appeared, no one was missing, and to his knowledge, no one was kidnapped between Naoto and Nanako. This was entirely new.

“You okay?” Yosuke whispered from his left. Yu nodded once, gave a look to either side, then slipped through the liquid screen into the TV World.

The backlot had gained a strange aura; gone was the familiar sound and air pressure that they’d come to trust as safe. In its place was a staleness, something oppressive that pushed into their lungs, made Yu want to cough. It felt so angry, so sad.

“It’s coming from that way,” Teddie said, pointing. They followed his bear hand to find a catwalk where one had not been before, seemingly conjured from thin air and leading away from the door to the Velvet Room. Dread pooled in Yu’s stomach as he hefted his sword and motioned them all to move.

The catwalk turned to a bridge, cement and rebar, grey and colorless. It slowly opened up to a long corridor with a high ceiling, lined with windows that were neither dark nor lit, and nothing on the other side. There was no scent in the air, no sound, their footsteps echoing so loudly it almost hurt. It seemed as if it was full of nothing at all.

The dread that gnawed at Yu was growing stronger by the second, and he was fairly sure his team could tell. He doubted he could hide it, caught off guard by the unexpected twist, unsure what to expect, a million scenarios running through his head with increasing speed and horror.

The room opened up further, to a set of stairs, as dull and lifeless as everything up. The led up to a chair on a platform, but no other features adorned the concrete room. Yu spun around, trying to make sense of it, filtering through lists of names and faces to find a connection of any kind. Namatame? Dojima? Anyone he knew? But he came up blank, and turned to his team to ask them what they thought.

He didn’t get the chance. Footfalls behind him, descending the concrete stairs.

“Well, well,” said a distorted voice that made his blood freeze in his veins. “Look what we have here.”

He didn’t want to turn around. He didn’t want to see what had caused Rise’s eyes to go wide with horror and Yukiko cover her mouth, or what made Teddie take a step back, cowering in fear. But his need to know outweighed his desire to run, and Yu turned.

White button up. Yasogami uniform, loafers, loose cuffs and collar. A smirk. Yu couldn’t breathe as his own face stared back, coming down the stairs towards them, golden eyes glowing below a neatly combed swath of gray hair.

“Nothing to say?” his shadow taunted. “I’m disappointed.”

He couldn’t say anything. His voice was stuck, his lungs refused to work. Yu felt sick. He didn’t have a shadow. He  _ didn’t. _

“Surprised?” The shadow asked, looking darkly amused. “You shouldn’t be. Running yourself ragged, deceiving your friends, living a lie. You should have seen me coming miles away.”

Swallowing bile, Yu managed to make a sound, a pitiful croak. “You can’t be--”

“Oh?” The shadow walked right up to him, and with a grin, brushed a bit of dirt from Yu’s shoulder. It was a solid weight, and cold as ice. “I’m very much real. What’s fake is  _ you. _ ”

A dream, it had to be, a horrible nightmare brought on by his sleeping pills and stress. He just needed to wake up. Wake up, go downstairs for breakfast. This couldn’t be real, the way his breath had turned to a quick succession of strained wheezes. Yu heard a tap of metal as the tip of his sword came to rest on the ground, his arms suddenly too numb to hold it.

The shadow paced back and forth. “You think you have it all figured out. Planned, carefully executed. But answer me this, _ me. _ What have you changed? Anything at all?” The shadow paused for a moment, as if waiting for an answer. Yu was silent.

“You’ve changed nothing. Made no difference. Saki Konishi still ended up dead. You let your friends be kidnapped. You were given the chance to change the past and you did nothing.”

The room was tilting a bit as several gasps and murmurs came from behind him. Yu found his voice, though it was small and reedy. “Morooka,” he wheezed. “I saved him. He didn’t die--”

“But he’s still gone,” The shadow corrected. “And Kashiwagi still came in to take his place. What does it matter if he’s out of town or in a body bag? It all came out the same.”

Another clang, ringing loud. His sword fell from his slack fingers and bounced against the concrete. Yu was numb. His eyes stung. This couldn’t be real, couldn’t be happening, he’d tried so hard to make it all right. He was going to throw up.

The shadow stepped close. Gold eyes bore into him and Yu took in a breath, paralyzed. “It’s all going to happen again, you know. All over again.” The shadow leaned in, the air around them beginning to crackle with electricity.. “Nanako will die. Your uncle will drink himself half to death. Yosuke will reject you, your friends will ostracize you, and when it’s all said and done, you’ll get on that train and leave Inaba behind to be swallowed by the fog.”

The shadow stepped back. Yu’s chest constricted, his face was wet. He couldn’t see, it was all blurry.

“Enjoy what little shred of peace you have left.” Turning away, the shadow ascended the steps. “It’ll all be going to hell soon enough.”

The footsteps faded, but all Yu could hear was ringing, so loud. His knees hurt as he crumbled, falling to the floor in a heap. His hands were shaking, so badly, he couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe. The memory of Nanako’s portrait, framed in black ribbon. His uncle’s lifeless stare. Yosuke, unable to even meet his eyes to say goodbye. Grey glasses clattered to the floor as Yu cupped his face in his hands, unable to hold back the sobs.

Pressure on his arms and back. Someone was holding him, but he couldn’t open his eyes to see who, nor could he halt his body’s violent shaking or the way his voice went raw with his wails. Yu felt cut open, exposed, pain blossoming in his chest so sharp and intense.

His strength ran out and Yu sagged, his bones turning to mush as he leaned into something warm and solid. There was talking all around him, hushed whispers that he couldn’t understand. His body was so heavy.

Someone was carrying him. The floor of the backlot flashed briefly before him. Then the smell of Inaba, the petrichor and rain, the distant aroma of Aiya’s. His uncle’s house. Stale cigarette smoke and tea. The world went sideways and his face met something soft, a pillow. His clothes were tugged away. Then darkness, silent and all-encompassing, surrounding him.


End file.
